Dark Energy 4: Aftermath
by Melaradark
Summary: Covering my version of events for roughly two centuries following the War. The Reapers have been defeated, and a wounded galaxy rebuilds.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Welcome to DE4!

For those of you who have read DE1-3, welcome back! For those that haven't, I suggest reading them first.

I write DE with the assumption that you have actually played the ME games and are at least passingly familiar with the lore. I don't go out of my way to explain culture or tech or any of those types of things already explained by the games, and I do not apologize for any spoilers.

DE4 covers events from the end of the Reaper War to 217 years afterward. The story begins in the 217th year, and this is considered the 'present.' Much of this story is told in flashbacks, so there will be jumping back and forth between timelines. I will head each section that involves such a jump by the amount of time that has passed since the end of the war. 'Present' will refer to the 217th year. 'Past' will refer to any time prior to that. 'PW' refers to 'Post War'. Hopefully the transitions will be easy and self-evident as you read.

There will be a DE5 as well. For both this story and the next, the tale is entirely my own canon. This is my version of events as I see them happening. It will not take into account any DLC, present or future. My explanation of the Reapers and the reason for the Cycle are completely my own, and have nothing to do with synthetics or mysterious leviathans. If you want to keep the meaning of the Reapers a mystery, or want something that goes true to Bioware's canon, then you will be disappointed by this story and I suggest you do not read it.

For the rest of you, sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully, it will be worth the journey.

On we go!

* * *

**DE4: Aftermath**

* * *

**Present: 217 Post War**

The asari looked out the window of the small shuttle transport, watching the craggy cliffs sail past below. The ocean was the color of slate, waves coiling around worn rocks, polishing them to satiny rainbow hues. Here and there, white beaches were nestled in the shadows cast by overhanging trees, and curtains of climbing moss.

"Didn't figure anyone was out this far from Beaty Shore," the man piloting the shuttle said amiably. He was a rather rotund human, red-cheeked and affable enough. "You sure these coords are right?"

The asari smiled to herself. "The location is correct. We are nearly there."

"Folks like their privacy, I take it. Can't say as I blame 'em. Everyone says the Reapers are gone, and it's been two hundred years and all but…you hear stories, you know? Like that rumor last month that one was found in some Traverse backwater-…well. Personally, I hear stories like that and gotta wonder as to the sanity of those tellin' 'em. Then again," he laughed. "Half the stories of the war I can scarce believe, either. Say, not to pry, but you old enough to have seen the war? I'd sooner trust tales from those what seen it with their own eyes, rather than that garbage they pile up on the extranet."

"We are nearly there. It is just to the west," the asari said, ignoring his question. A pair of tiny blue hands suddenly reached out, patting the window as if enjoying the sounds her palms made on the glass. Leaning forward, the little girl then pressed her nose and mouth to the window, dark green eyes wide as her tongue squished out against the cool surface.

"No, baby…don't lick," the asari said with a patient smile. Drawing the child a little away from the window she pointed out the house as the shuttle neared it. "You see? That's where wài gōng and wài pó live."

The baby didn't seem to care, more intent now on chewing on a tentacle of her stuffed hanar, making contented sounds.

The shuttle lowered to a landing, the pilot helping her with her bags as they exited the vehicle. Though it was not yet quite noon, the sun had warmed the air nicely, the sea offering an occasional cool breeze. The asari, daughter on her hip, paused and looked out toward the cliffside where several birds were hovering and calling to each other around the old, broad heddeck tree. From one of its strongest branches, a rope still hung, a smooth and polished patch of wood beneath it showing it had been there some time, years of use wearing the bark away.

When she turned back toward the house, another asari had emerged onto the porch, directing the pilot to put the bags inside before coming down the steps to meet them. Smiling, the young mother embraced the older tightly.

"Mama, it is good to see you."

"I am so glad you are here, Irie," Liara replied. Kissing her cheek, she loosened her hold and smiled at the little girl. "This must be Lily…"

Hearing her name, and completely unabashed, the child leaned forward, thrusting her hands out toward Liara, her sodden hanar toy dangling from her pudgy grip. Laughing, Liara accepted the child into her arms.

"Look at you, little one! She is so beautiful, Irie. I am so sorry we could not come to visit, to see you when she was born-"

"It is all right, Mama. We understood. How is she?"

Liara, shifting her granddaughter onto her hip, looked solemnly toward the house. "There are good days, and there are bad," she said. "She is sleeping right now. Come, inside. I have some tea on, and she'll need to wake up soon to eat something."

The pilot reappeared out of the house where he'd deposited the bags, bidding a polite farewell to the pair as he headed back to the shuttle.

Inside, the house smelled like ehlas blossoms and mint spice, with the faintest hint of the sea air outside. A warm and familiar smell, it was nonetheless lacking a particular autumnal undertone that had been persistent throughout her childhood. Irie's father had never smoked in the house, yet somehow the scent of her cigars had still worked their way into every crevice of it. The lack of that particular smell now seemed heavy and foreboding.

Though Irie had not lived in this house personally since she was five, somehow it had always seemed the most like home to her.

"I am sorry Evik was not able to make it," Liara said, passing the child back to her mother so she could finish attending to the tea. "I know Del would have liked to have seen him again."

"He is sorry he could not be here, as well," Irie said. "He tried rather desperately to get off-duty, but it fell through. He sends his love."

"Mel and Dae should be here soon, but for the moment I have the two of you all to myself." Liara finished setting a tea tray and carried it toward the living room. "Come. I want to hear how you are doing and dote on my beautiful granddaughter while I have the chance."

As the two older asari talked and sipped at their tea, little Delilah 'Lily' T'Soni played quietly on her blanket with a few toys, babbling softly to herself as she seriously considered their imaginary adventures. Liara watched her with soft eyes, shaking her head a little.

"She reminds me of Mel at that age," she said. "Always so intent, everything in its place. She used to make little stockades with her blocks, and then smash them happily to pieces."

Irie smiled faintly, but an odd expression still lingered in her eyes. Expert at reading her children, Liara set her teacup down, reaching over and taking her daughter's hand.

"What is it, Irie?"

"It is nothing, Mama. Just…silly regrets and fears, I suppose. Come. Help me set up Lily's pen. We can put a vid on for her and I will help you with lunch. Knowing Mel and Dae, they will show up hungry."

* * *

**Past: Five months Post War**

The Citadel was still undergoing clean-up and repairs, but in most sections of the Presidium and Wards, life as usual had resumed. The remaining two Councilors, along with the heads of government for most species, had decided to leave the great station in orbit around Earth, rather than move it back to its prior location.

Huerta Memorial was still extremely busy, but they were not dealing with the wall-to-wall numbers they had been inundated with only months ago. As the relays reactivated and allowed intergalactic travel once again, a lot of stable patients were ferried back to care facilities on their home worlds or at colonies. Only the most critical cases remained, or those who called the Citadel home to begin with.

Liara stepped off the lift at the top floor of the hospital, heading toward the private room that Del had been transferred to from the _Orizaba_. Barely had she gone ten steps than someone stepped in her path. Miranda did not look happy.

"She's bloody goddamn stubborn!"

Liara lifted her brows. "Shepard? You say that as if it were a surprise. What has she done?"

Miranda didn't reply, just pointed a stern finger at a pair of double glass doors that led onto a veranda overlooking the Presidium lake. Liara lightly touched her arm, then headed that way.

The veranda was large, dotted with lounges and comfortable benches. It was meant as a waiting area for family that had loved ones in the hospital, but right now only one figure occupied it. She was standing at the railing, still dressed in scrubs, looking out over the view.

"Shepard," Liara said softly, walking to her side and lightly touching her arm. "Del, you should not be up just yet. Why did you leave your room?"

There was a long, silent moment before she replied. "Can't keep laying there."

"I know it is frustrating, but you are still not healed. You will only prolong your recuperation if you do not follow Helen and Miranda's advice."

Shepard looked at her, and as she did Liara reached up, toying momentarily with the choppy locks of growing hair, before she pressed her palm lightly to Del's cheek.

The protective burn casts had come off just two days before. Chakwas had done a more than admirable job repairing Del's face without removing every scar. The red, uneven surface of the still healing burn spread from the side of her forehead down her left temple, across the cheekbone, and over part of her cheek, but it was far fainter than by rights it should have been. Without the repairs, the entire left side of Del's face would have been a grotesque, half-melted parody of itself.

Her left eye was still missing, and it looked like it would remain that way indefinitely. While it played havoc with her depth perception at the moment, a surgery to implant a cloned or synthetic eye would be at least two hours of utter torture, with Del conscious and feeling most every moment of it. For now, an archaic eyepatch covered the scarred, empty socket.

Del took in the news of her possibly permanent condition with apathy, barely showing an interest in whether or not she'd ever see again on that side. Then, Del's interest in most things since she'd woken up was minimal at best.

It would take time, Helen had told Liara. Waking from a coma wasn't just like turning on a light bulb again. Even Shepard couldn't expect to be up and running perfectly immediately after coming too, and Liara knew that Del's slow progress was only adding to the woman's frustration. She wasn't used to being invalid. She didn't do well with idle.

Lightly, Liara slid her arms around Del's waist, gently kissing the corner of her mouth before she inclined her head. "Come. At least sit down for a little while. We can stay on the veranda."

Shepard let herself be led to one of the soft benches, sitting with only a faint grimace and sigh of relief. Liara sat next to her, winding her in her arms and giving her a faint tug. Del didn't resist, resting her head against the asari's shoulder.

"Garrus came by earlier," Del said after a long moment. "He says I got hit in the face with that MHD just so I could be as stylish with my scars as he was."

Liara chuckled, rubbing her shoulder. "Of course that is why you did it. I suspected that all along."

To her relief, Del gave a faint laugh as well, before she sat up again and looked at Liara. This time, it was her fingertips that traced the asari's face, her good eye searching along the sky blue of Liara's.

"Liara, I'm sorry about my order to Vega," she said after a moment. "I know how much it upset you, me leaving you behind on the run like that. I just-"

"I know, Del," Liara said softly. "I would have followed you every step of the way."

"I know you would have, but I had to know you were _safe_. I had to know that you had a chance."

Liara looked down a moment. "I saw it when that MHD hit you. I thought that my entire world had ended in that moment. I thought you were gone-…"

Her eyes grew damp, a tear breaking free before she almost impatiently swiped it away. Shepard reached out, stroking her cheek again.

"_Hey_…I'm here. I'm here, and the war is over, Tianlán. We won."

It was true. While ships were still scouring the more remote reaches of the galaxy on the chance that a Reaper or two had not been destroyed, the war itself was done, the Cycle of elimination halted. Hackett had given Shepard a full debrief a few days ago on everything that had transpired.

Why, then, didn't it feel like victory? Shepard should be rejoicing, celebrating. They had done the impossible, accomplished the miraculous. She was alive, Liara was alive, and they were together –finally _together_ with no looming threat that promised to tear them apart again.

So why was it that she felt so empty? Why this lingering, troubled feeling that refused to lift- a feeling that she had forgotten something, that the fight wasn't yet done?

_You've just been wound too tight for too long, Del. You live every day with the kind of tension you've had over the last three years, it's hard to let that go, to relax. That's all._

"I know that we did," Liara said, taking Del's hand and gripping it tightly. "We can finally…_finally_ have our life together, as we had always hoped."

"Li, what is it? What's wrong?" Del asked. Liara forced herself to meet her eyes, reaching up and brushing back the silver lock of hair that was also beginning to regrow. Then she drew a deep breath, squaring her shoulders a little.

"There is something I must tell you," she said. "Something…I must confess."

"Confess?"

"I did a horribly shameful thing to you, Del. I did it out of fear, and desperation, but that is not an excuse. Despite all my faith in you, all my hope, I was so _terrified_ that I was going to lose you- and I very nearly did."

Shepard stared at her. "What could you possibly have done? _Shameful…_? I don't-"

"I am pregnant, Shepard."

She said it quickly but firmly, trying to be matter-of-fact. Inside, every fiber of her quailed in preparation for Del's reaction. Disbelief, then anger, accusation, mistrust…she was steeled for all of it, and it would only be what she deserved.

Instead of an explosion, however, Del was almost infuriatingly neutral. "The gift? In the prison?"

"Yes," Liara replied. "To do such a thing without the knowledge or consent of the father is…_unthinkable,_ among my people. Deplorable. I-I very nearly asked you, but I was so afraid you would not agree, and I-I knew that…if I were to lose you, I would not be able to go on. Not unless I had a reason. I am so sorry, Shepard. It was _incredibly_ selfish of me-"

"Stop, Liara." Shepard took hold of her shoulders, looking at her sternly. "Stop. Hey. You are the least goddamn selfish person I know, dong ma?"

"But what I did-"

Shepard cupped her face, drawing her in and kissing her. When it broke a moment later, they stayed close, heads bowed together.

"I love you," Shepard said softly. "Nothing will change that, you hear me? _Nothing_."

"You are not angry?"

"No. I'm…kind of reeling a little bit, but _angry_? No. I…holy fuck, we're having a baby!"

Liara let out an incredulous laugh, covering her mouth the instant after and blushing. She had expected a thousand different reactions from Shepard, but never had she hoped it would be _this_ one.

Del hugged her tight, kissing her cheek. "We're having a baby," she said again, a wide grin on her face.

"Yes," Liara said, tears falling despite her relief.

"She's going to be the most goddamn perfect ass-kicking little blue nub this galaxy ever did see."

Liara laughed again, and Del once more hauled her in, hugging her tight, before she almost abruptly drew back again, staring wide eyed at her wife.

"Can I see her?"

"Can you…?"

"A meld, you know. I read somewhere that bonded parents sometimes do that, that the child can be 'felt' through that connection, and…can I?"

"I-…oh! Yes, of course. A brief one, for now- you are still recovering your strength."

She took Del's hands in her own again, holding them tight to stop her own fingers from shaking. As they opened up to the meld, she could feel Shepard's familiar spirit settle within hers. She shivered a little at the sensation, both finally feeling as if they were whole once again.

It was a very shallow meld, with no probing for deeper memories or experiences. Unprotected, the unborn asari was strongly attuned to her mother, and would feel these memories and experiences as well. There were ways to protect the developing child from unpleasant or more romantic stimulus during full Joinings but in return, the child would be isolated, her spirit not felt by her parents in return. Such a protection completely defeated the purpose here, so they had to keep things light for now.

The little asari was like a spinning white light, darting and bumping against their two minds like a little fish, radiating joy and happiness and pure innocence. At first, Del seemed almost intimidated by it, withdrawing a little the first time the infant 'bumped' against her. Liara wrapped them both in her love and patience, and Shepard tentatively moved forward again, carefully blanketing the happy little light with affection.

_Hey there, little one. I'm…I'm your B__á__ba_.

The light spun and bounced and darted about, shining with untainted joy. After a moment, Liara carefully withdrew the meld and reality returned. Del blinked rapidly a moment, then self-consciously wiped the back of her hand over her good eye, clearing her throat.

"Bába?" Liara asked gently. "Is that Chinese?"

Shepard cleared her throat again, then nodded. "Figured it'd be less awkward than 'Daddy' or 'Father' considering…well, my silly human gender hang-ups."

Liara laughed softly, hugging her tight again. "I think it is just beautiful… _B__á__ba_."

"_There_ you are," Nan's impatient voice preceded her as she strode out onto the veranda. "You are not supposed to be out of bed yet, Del. You're not recovered yet, and you're going to make yourself ill."

Liara got to her feet, helping Del up to hers.

"It is my fault, Nan," Liara began, but the older human woman was having none of it.

"She's stubborn enough on her own, Li, and according to Miranda you were still downstairs when she decided to go on her little stroll. Come on, sweetheart. Back to bed before I have security escort you there-"

"Li's having a baby," Del said, taking Liara's hand.

"Don't think that for one second that excuses you from…_what_?" Nancy's eyes widened as she looked between the two.

"A baby, Nan," Shepard said with dry humor. "You know those soft little helpless things that cry and eat all the time?"

"_Oh_, my goodness!" Tears began to well in her eyes as she clasped her hands under her chin, all but bouncing on her toes. "Oh…_oh, my goodness_! I don't believe it!"

She caught Liara up in a big hug. "Oh! I am so…my goodness gracious, inside, both of you! You both need rest and food, and I want Helen to look over you-"

"She has already done so, Nan," Liara said. "I assure you, we are fine-"

"And we're going to make sure you stay that way! Oh, Del…I'm so happy for you, darling! For both of you!"

She all but herded the couple back into Del's room, where Miranda and Chakwas were both waiting impatiently. Del reluctantly climbed back into the bed, allowing Helen to hook up the monitors again while Nan exuberantly shared the news of Liara's condition with Miranda.

_By the end of the day, there won't be a damned soul on this station that doesn't know_, Shepard thought with a sigh as she leaned back on the pillows. Stubborn was one thing, but she was feeling the effects of even her short jaunt out to the veranda. Her body was aching and exhausted, but her heart and mind were spinning.

_Li's going to have a baby…I'm going to have a daughter. _

Though she still felt the joy and wonder of having touched the tiny, pure little spirit, it didn't take long for her anxieties and fears to start resurfacing. She knew nothing about being a parent. Her own were loser junkies who hadn't even bothered to name her. She was a rough-and-tumble, foul-mouthed marine- hardly a 'father figure' by any stretch of the word.

Quite suddenly, that little glowing ball of happy and innocence became the most incredibly terrifying thing that Shepard had ever faced...and that included the Reapers.

_Fuck…what am I gonna do?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Past: Six Months Post War**

"_Captain Del Shepard-"_

Fzzt.

"…_for the Hero of Earth, Captain Delilah Shep-"_

Fzzt.

"…_crowd outside of Huerta Memorial hasn't moved in days, eager to see Captain Del-"_

Click.

"Fuck."

"It won't be so bad as all that," Hackett said as he stepped in the door. Del was seated on the bio bed, dressed in her uniform, sans coat. As he stepped in, she tossed the vid remote at the small side table with an irritated snap of her hand.

"I just don't understand it."

"Don't understand?" He lifted a brow, turning his head and giving Liara a polite nod as she entered behind him, carrying Shepard's missing coat. "You all but single-handedly stopped the most devastating war this galaxy has ever experienced. You saved the lives of every person in known existence, and God only knows how many generations not yet born."

_Then why do I feel so sick to my stomach whenever I think about it? _

"Like it or not, Shepard," he continued. "You're the biggest hero and celebrity in the Milky Way, and they've been waiting for months to thank you."

Shepard's jaw was tight as she got to her feet. Liara helped her pull on the coat, buttoning the front and straightening the epaulets.

"Anderson was the real hero," Del told him. "Bailey. If it hadn't been for them, for those that died in that blockade so we could get into the Council chambers-"

"I know," he said. Liara finished with the coat and gave Del's hand a squeeze. Anderson's loss weighed heavily on Shepard still, she knew…made only the worse that his funeral and memorial service had been held while she was still in a coma. She hadn't had the opportunity to really say goodbye.

Clearing his throat, Hackett straightened a little, a vague smile appearing. "So, I hear congratulations are in order."

Del gave a faint, lopsided smirk before she ducked her head a little. Liara's smile made up for it as she looked at Del, still holding her hand.

"Yes, well…umm…_yes_," Shepard said.

"That's fantastic, Shepard. Liara. I'm very happy for you both."

"Thank you, Admiral," Liara replied.

"Well, if you two are ready, we might as well get this over with."

Shepard started forward, but Liara halted her motion with a gentle tug of her hand, before plucking up the cane that was leaning against the bedside table. She gave Del a look as she handed it to her, and Del sighed.

She could walk just fine, but Chakwas had insisted on her using the cane for the next week or two. Her full strength hadn't yet returned, and she tended to tire abruptly.

"No reason for you to take a sudden spill and undo all my fine work," Helen had teased.

The suite that Shepard had called home for the last few months was on the top floor of Huerta, and had been secured and guarded from the moment that Shepard had been brought in off the _Orizaba. _This was both to protect her from being overwhelmed by the general public, and from those who might have more nefarious intents. While it seemed on some level to be _over_protection- who would want to hurt the woman who had saved their collective lives?- there was still the incident that had taken Traynor's life to be considered. Hero or not, some batarians and a few others still hated Shepard enough to possibly take a stab at her while she was incapacitated.

Alliance soldiers and hospital security had cleared their path through the hospital. It was outside of the building that would be the issue. Huge crowds had gathered, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman who had stopped the Reapers. Even with uniformed intervention, it was going to be a mad-house.

Shepard would much rather have left the hospital from the launch pad on the roof and avoided the brouhaha altogether, but Hackett insisted it was important for her to make an appearance this way. She had been completely invisible to the public since V-Day, and seeing her healed and moving again would lift morale and reaffirm their victory.

"You aren't just a soldier any more, Shepard, much as you'd like to be," Hackett said. "You became a symbol of humanity the moment you were made a Spectre. Now, you're a symbol to every goddamn species out there."

Nan met them in Huerta's lobby. Beyond the doors, Shepard could already see the huge crowd, kept back by C-Sec barriers and uniformed officers. She suddenly felt her gut tighten, a clammy sweat breaking out on the back of her neck.

Her sudden fearful anxiety took her by surprise. She'd rather stay out of the spotlight, but it wasn't as though she were afraid of crowds. This wasn't her typical gut warning her, either. This was something else…almost closer to _shame_ than actual fear.

"It is absolutely packed out there, from the door to the lake," Nan said as she reached them. "Thank God for C-Sec or we'd be totally swamped…Del, are you all right darling?"

Shepard managed a smile and nodded. "I'm fine, Nan."

"You look a little pale-"

"Just looking forward to being out of here, is all."

Hackett nodded to the two privates standing by the doors, then lightly touched her arm. "All right. Here we go."

As she stepped out on Admiral Hackett's heels into the bright artificial sun, thunderous shouts and applause washed through the air. Still holding Liara's hand tightly, Del shaded her eye from the brilliant light for a moment, cane hanging from her hand. She lowered it again, moving forward only when Nan gently prodded her in the back.

The crowd was unbelievable. The entire street was packed with bodies of every species, even a few elcor rising like low hills above the masses. A pathway between the hospital and the shuttle waiting near the lake had been kept clear but everywhere else were endless faces, waving hands, shouting voices, and snapping lights. Over the crowd, flocks of hover-cams swarmed like eager bees, capturing the moment for every professional and amateur news network or extranet feed galaxy-wide.

Shepard merely stood there for a moment, enveloped in the noise and the bright light. When she did start forward again, Liara at her side and Nan just behind, nearly every uniform in evidence saluted.

_Just focus on where you're going_, she thought, fixing her eyes on the shuttle and struggling not to grip Liara's hand too tightly. Her name was being called from every quarter, reporters and civilians both straining over the barricades or the shoulders of the restraining officers, reaching out or waving to try and get her attention. Someone threw confetti, and it spilled in rainbow sparkles around her.

They were halfway to the shuttle when a young turian girl, no larger than a four or a five year old, found a gap between one officer's legs and slipped through. Quick as a flash, she ran up to Del, who jolted to a halt, staring at her a moment before she released Liara's hand. Bracing herself on the cane, she went down to one knee to be on level with the child. The tumult did not fall to complete silence but it did die down significantly as everyone watched.

"Hello, sweetheart," Del said.

"I brought you a flower," the child said, pulling a battered, wilting little blossom from her belt and holding it out. A single pink petal broke free and drifted to the floor. Shepard smiled and carefully accepted the offering.

"Thank you," she said. "What's your name?"

"Sella," the girl replied. "A'cuz of you, my Daddy came home and didn't have to fight any more. Mama cried when he was off fighting. She doesn't cry now."

"I…I'm very glad of that, sweetheart," Shepard said softly. Sella suddenly flung her arms around Del's neck, hugging her tightly. Shepard hugged her back, clearing her throat roughly before she straightened to her feet, pulling the child up with her. Handing Liara her cane, she carefully carried the child over to the barricade, passing her over to the turian man that was waiting there.

"Thank you," he said, his voice thick and his eyes damp. Del nodded.

In her father's arms, Sella smiled with a flap of her mandibles, then leaned forward and kissed Shepard's cheek. Shepard lightly touched the young turian's head, nodding again before she stepped back.

_Fuck. You are __**not**__ going to cry in front of all these people_, she thought as she accepted her cane back from the waiting asari. Liara's eyes were unabashedly damp, which did nothing to help Shepard's self-control.

Blinking, she focused on the shuttle again, gripping her wife's hand as it was slipped once more into her own.

"Let's just get home."

* * *

**Present: 217 Post War**

Irie studied Liara's face as they puttered around the kitchen, preparing enough lunch to feed two or three krogan. At 326 years of age, Liara was still fairly young as the asari measured things. Most her age were just settling down with their first bondmate and contemplating daughters, and here Liara had two grown and accomplished children, and a granddaughter to boot.

Throughout her childhood, what Irie remembered the most about her mother was her smile. It seemed she was always smiling, save on the rare occasion she scolded for one thing or another. Amusingly, it was usually her bondmate that was the target of the scolding, and not either of her children. Liara had always been a gentle disciplinarian to them, firm but loving.

Now, however, the smile was wan and fleeting, appearing now and again like a fish surfacing in a still pond, only to vanish once more a moment later. A line seemed to have set between her brows, her eyes hollow and tired. She looked older and more exhausted than Irie could ever remember seeing her.

"Mama," she said gently, reaching out and stilling Liara's hand as she arranged some vegetables on a tray. Looking at her eldest, Liara sighed.

"I am all right, Irie-"

"You do not have to lie to me," Irie replied. "Of _course_ you are not all right."

Wordlessly, Liara hugged Irie tightly, the two standing in embrace for a long moment, before the faint sound of an engine outside drew their attention.

"Oh, that will be Mel," Liara said, drawing back and self-consciously wiping her eyes. Irie looked toward the front door as the engine grew notably louder.

"She still rides that thing?"

"Whenever she is home, yes," Liara said with exasperation. "She has too much of your father in her."

"Now Mama, you know that's not possible," Irie said with a faint smirk. It was an old joke in their family. Most asari believed that the father species provided no true traits to their daughters, and that any actual similarity was merely coincidence or behavior learned from observation. Liara and her daughters believed quite differently- mostly due to Melara. She was nothing if not Shepard's daughter.

The two moved toward the door, stepping out onto the porch as the younger of Liara's two girls switched off the motorcycle with a final authoritative roar. Though it had no need of an archaic combustion engine, Del had modified it a long time ago to _sound_ as though it did.

_There's just something about that roar, Li. Rumbles through your veins. _

Two riders climbed off the bike, shedding helmets. Liara went down the steps to meet them, embracing the taller of the two tightly.

"Melara…"

"Hey, Mama," she said, hugging her back tightly. Glancing up, she loosened one arm and waved it impatiently at Irie. "Well, get over here, Braincase. Your pretty little dress isn't going to get mussed."

Irie lifted her brows as she moved down the steps. "At least I know what style is, _primitive_."

"Yeah, la di dah…get the fuck over here and hug me you prima donna."

Irie laughed and joined the embrace, the three clinging to each other tightly a moment, before they stepped back. Liara, eyes damp yet again, turned toward the patiently waiting remainder.

"Daenys Sydney Navis, you had best give me a hug as well."

"It is good to see you again, Liara," Dae said as she hugged the older asari just as tightly. "Mom sends her best wishes."

The only child of Deirdre Navis and the late Sydney Rasler, Daenys was only a few weeks older than Irie. Though she was more or less the spitting image of her asari mother, Dae's gold-amber eyes were the spitting image of Syd's. She'd all but grown up with the two Shepard-T'Soni girls, and Liara looked on her as another daughter.

"Come on, inside," Liara said, urging them along with a faint smile. "You have good timing- we just about finished making lunch."

As they stepped into the house, Irie suddenly paused, staring at the empty play pen in the middle of the living room.

"Wait…where is Lily?"

* * *

The cartoon that had been put on the vid was lively and entertaining, the flashes of color and bright songs drawing young Lily's attention. Pulling herself up to a stand on the edge of the playpen, Lily chewed idly at the soft bumper, drooling copiously as she watched the dancing forms with large eyes.

Soon enough, however, she grew a little bored. Like her mother and her grandmother, Lily was a born explorer. New places interested her far more than cartoons, and she had enough independent stubbornness to defy even the playpen.

Only a few minutes after the start of the video, Lily was out of her confinement, crawling past the kitchen with only a momentary pause and glance toward the two within.

Down the hallway, she was greeted with closed door after closed door. Undaunted, she continued on, finally spying a shaft of sunlight. The door at the furthest end of the hall was open.

Babbling thoughtfully to herself, she crawled right in. The room was big and smelled nice, and more, there was a new friend to meet. Reaching the foot of the bed, she used the blankets to pull herself up to her feet, working her way around to the side, before her hand enthusiastically patted a knee.

"Faba!" she declared triumphantly, then beamed a toothless grin.

* * *

Dark brown eyes regarded the infant asari with mute surprise. Patting the knee again, the little one then lifted both her pudgy hands, opening and closing them in a clear demand to be lifted. Leaning forward, Del slid her hands under the baby's arms and pulled her into her lap.

For a moment, young asari and old human regarded each other with the same intent scrutiny, before brown eyes crossed and a tongue poked out. Struck by the absurd expression, Lily burst out laughing. Del grinned back.

"That used to make your Mama laugh too," she said, kissing the tiny forehead.

Outside the house, the rumble of a well-recognized engine began to swell. Getting carefully to her feet, Shepard lifted the child with her, and walked out into the hall, just as Liara and Irie departed for the porch.

Rather than go into the living room, she turned to a side room, opening the door. "I have something to show you," she told Lily conspiratorially.

She entered the study. Ranks of guns, all securely locked in their various display cases, ringed the room. A wall held sixteen different bladed weapons, including a pair of katana and a krogan shaktho. Medals rested against dark velvet on a wall of shelves, almost lost amidst several trophies. Pausing in front of the shelving, Shepard pointed to one of the trophies. "That's your Mama's," she told the infant. "Most of these are. And this…"

She plucked down a picture frame, moving back to the study desk and sitting with a weary sigh, the child on her lap. Showing her the picture she tapped it. "…this is your Mama when she wasn't much older than you."

Little Irie beamed for the camera, a single tooth showing around where she was chewing on a rag doll. Lily reached out and patted a hand on the picture. "Fa," she said.

"That's right. She couldn't keep from trying to eat her toys. I bet you do the same thing. Couldn't keep her cooped up either, she always managed to escape and go wandering-"

"Wait…where is Lily?"

As Irie's alarmed voice floated in from the hall, Shepard looked up, clearing her throat. "In here!"

A moment later, Liara and Irie appeared in the doorway, the latter striding over and taking the baby. "Lily! Sweetie, how many times have I told you not to climb out of your pen! You woke-"

"Oh, she didn't wake me," Del said with a dismissive wave. "Besides, I was just telling the little nub about how you used to do the same thing. At least she kept her diaper on."

Irie colored a bit and shook her head with a faint laugh. "Bába!"

"What? It's the truth! You know how many times we had to chase your little naked blue ass through the house-"

"Del," Liara said, shaking her head.

"Well, we did! C'mon then, where's my hug?" As Shepard got to her feet, Liara's hand automatically reached out a little, then withdrew a bit. Shepard glanced at her, then hugged Irie tightly, kissing her cheek.

"How are you feeling, Bába?" Irie asked, searching her face in concern. Del snorted.

"Oh, I'm fine, I'm fine. That lunch I smell?"

"Yes, it is nearly done," Liara said, then looked at her daughter. "Irie, if you don't mind checking on it?"

"Of course, Mama."

Carrying Lily, she turned and stepped out of the study. The moment she was out of view Shepard sagged, her hand slapping down on the desk, Liara catching her arm as her knees seemed to give out.

"Del, sit," she said with concern, urging her back into the chair once again. Shepard obeyed, fingers trembling where they still rested on the desk. Liara knelt in front of her, gently brushing a hand over her hair.

"You should not have carried the baby," she said with gentle patience, her brows knit. Shepard shook her head with irritation.

"Be damned if I can't carry my own granddaughter," she said.

"Shepard-"

"I'm fine, Li, I'm just…_exhausted_."

"I know," she replied, searching Del's face.

For a human woman only a few weeks away from turning 250, Shepard looked remarkably hale. Modern medicine had finally stretched the average human's lifespan to 175 years but it seemed it couldn't go much further than that without extensive enhancement. Del was an aberration, thanks to the nanites in her system and all the modifications she'd been given during Cerberus's Lazarus project. Though Del was technically only 249 if one counted the years before her first death over Alchera, she had still lived long past expectations.

Miranda, genetically engineered from the ground up from conception, had made it to 231, just a few years longer than her self-prediction of 'half again as long as average.'

Thanks mostly to the nanites, but slightly to her Native American genes as well, Del did not look her age. A few lines had sunk into the corners of her eyes and mouth, faintly wrinkling her forehead. She was no longer quite as physically robust, but neither had she developed the skinny, bowed frailty that most humans attained by their hundred and twentieth year. Her mostly metal skeleton did not wear down, her spine did not compact, and irritations like osteoporosis and arthritis were not a factor.

Her hair was the greatest indicator of her years. All sign of black had been lost two decades before, leaving a streaked patchwork of silver, gray, and white. Her dark brown eyes, though constantly weary these days, were still keen as she looked at Liara.

Yes, she _looked_ hale enough…but looks were eternally deceiving. The truth was, Del Shepard was dying.

Her implants and her reconstruction had vastly extended her years, and by themselves, they could continue to function probably another four or five centuries without falter. The problem wasn't in the tech, it was in the organic. Human cells and DNA could only repair and replicate so long, even with the best modern therapies and treatments. Time, in the end, always wore them down, and time was not something any amount of tech could halt. Doctors were of little help because nothing was really _wrong_…her body was simply giving up.

She had begun drastically losing her energy just three months ago. Crossing from one room to the other would necessitate her sitting and catching her breath as if she'd run for miles. Her hands had begun to shake on and off, her grip going weak. At her last doctor's visit, he had informed the pair that she had only days, at most.

"She's not in any pain," he told Liara privately. "She'll just get weaker, sleep longer and more often until she finally just…she just won't wake up again. I suggest you get your family together. Say your goodbyes."

Goodbye was not something Liara ever wanted to say, and as Shepard started to sleep more and more, her bondmate slept less and less, often spending whole nights awake, holding Del as she slumbered, silently praying through her tears for hope against the inevitable.

Leaning forward, Del rested her forehead against Liara's, softly stroking her cheek. "You're still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she said with a soft smile. Liara cupped her face, kissing her a moment.

_Goddess, please. I am not ready._

"I heard the motorcycle," Del said at last. "I take it Mel is here?"

"Yes. Dae too. We should go into the living room."

Del nodded, and with Liara's help got to her feet. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, she kissed the asari's temple, before drawing away and just taking her hand. Though weak, one thing Shepard still had was her stubborn pride, and she was either going out to greet her daughters under her own power, or not at all.

When they stepped into the living room, Dae was holding little Lily, Irie and Melara talking together just outside the kitchen. Spotting them, Melara straightened and saluted.

Shepard released Liara's hand, saluting in return with a lopsided smirk. "At ease. I think you outrank me now anyway."

"Not hardly, ma'am," Melara replied, stepping forward. Del hugged her as tightly as she was able, unexpected emotion momentarily closing her throat.

"My sweet girl," she said at last, closing her eyes with a smile. "My sweet little pain in the ass."


	3. Chapter 3

**Past: Six Months Post War**

_Alliance Base Charleston, South Carolina_

As Old Fort Lewis, the base in North Charleston had been retired nearly thirty years before. With no imminent military threat from that location, the Reapers had ignored it, focusing on active bases and the high population cities. In the wake of their losses of those active bases, a lot of the older ones were being reused while repairs to the cities and infrastructure continued.

Charleston was now a busy hub, one of their more secure locations groundside. Night had fallen, and Del stood in the window of an apartment in officer housing, watching the landing lights of shuttles, fighters, and various other craft as they took off and landed in the distance.

Padding up behind her, Liara slid her arms around Del's waist and lay her head against her shoulder. "Can't sleep?" she asked softly.

"Just been thinking," Del told her. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I would rather you woke me, then to wake on my own and realize you are not there."

Del turned to look at her, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Li."

"I just came so close to losing you…"

Del hugged her tightly, the pair just holding on to each other for a long, silent moment before Li drew back and brushed a hand over Shepard's scarred cheek. "You need sleep. The meeting tomorrow is early…"

"Yeah…"

"What is it, Del? I can tell something is preying upon your mind, something more than just your recovery, and Anderson's loss."

Shepard's expression immediately saddened as she looked down. "You know what the last thing he said to me was?"

When Liara shook her head, Del met her eyes. "He said he wished he could have been my father."

"Oh, Shepard…"

"He was you know. Closest damn thing I ever had to one. Now he's gone. Him, and Kasumi, and Traynor, Mordin…"

"They all fought and died for what they believed in," Liara told her. "They gave their lives so that you could stop the Reapers…and you did. You honored their sacrifices the moment you refused to give up, the moment you fired the Crucible."

"Yeah, I'm a goddamn hero," Shepard said wearily. Drawing back, she went over and sat down on the sofa, raking her hands back through her short hair as she sighed.

"There is something more. Something you are not telling me," Liara told her. It wasn't an accusation per se, but a realization. Exhaustion and grief were one thing, but something deeper was troubling her bondmate. Walking over she knelt down in front of her love and took her hands. "What is it?"

"It's…I don't know, it's just stupid, Li. I'm just tired and trying to adjust to the war actually being _over_. Fighting nonstop for three years, jumping from this mission to that…I don't know how to let go. I just…something inside keeps telling me that it isn't over yet, you know? People keep cheering me as if I'm a hero and every time they do, my gut just sinks. I keep thinking there's still something I haven't done, or…or that I did something unbelievably horrible, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it was. I feel like a fraud."

"Horrible?" Liara shifted until she sat next to her, still gripping her hands as her brows knit. "What could you have done that was horrible? You stopped the Reapers, saved trillions of lives-"

"Then why do I feel like I _murdered_ trillions instead? Why do I feel like I set in motion something so incredibly awful, so…" She made a frustrated gesture, blowing out a breath. "I don't know."

"Then show it to me," Liara told her. "Show me what happened on the Citadel, Shepard. We can figure it out together."

"No, I…putting you through that-"

"I have seen far worse, you know that."

"What about the little nub…?"

"I can protect our daughter from experiencing it as well, Del. She will be fine. Please…if there is still something that needs to be done, some lingering threat, we need to find out what it is before it is upon us. If not, this will at least help to put your mind at ease."

Del reluctantly conceded. Shifting forward a little, Liara gently cupped her hands on her bondmate's face, leaning forward until their foreheads rested against each other's. She opened the link just a little at first, simply allowing the love they had for each other to envelop them both for a moment, to envelop the child growing within her. Then, she very carefully secured that darting light away from their consciousness, shielding her and keeping her safe.

It was a strange loss, to feel the darting little joyful light fade from their joint consciousness. The child was still there, of course, still alive, but the parting was oddly wrenching. Del let out another shuddering breath, and Liara nodded.

"Open your mind, my love. Let your spirit merge with mine. We are one."

The small living room of the officer's apartment faded away, replaced by the Council chamber. The smell of smoke and blood was sharply real, as if they truly stood there. To one side, the crumpled and ruined remains of the Illusive Man lay, and near to where they stood was Del, horribly burned and battered at the dying Anderson's side.

Shepard's hand tightened in Liara's. Not only was it an odd experience to be watching herself from another vantage, this was hardly a pleasant memory to be observing.

Before them, the dying Anderson spoke, half lidded eyes focused on his Shepard.

"What do you wish, Shepard?"

"I wish I could have seen Liara again," she replied weakly. Silently, the observing Liara gripped her Shepard's hand more tightly, shaking slightly. "I wish I could…see her smile. Just one more time. She's so…_pretty_ when she smiles."

His response was a hum, weary, fading. Gripping his hand tighter, she asked, "What do _you_ wish?"

"I wish…"

His voice was nearly non-existent, little more than a breath. After a beat, he tried again.

"I wish…I could have been your father, Del."

Her eyes shifted slightly, gloss and exhausted. "You were, sir," she whispered back. "You were."

He gave no response, and after a moment she looked at him. "Anderson?"

His eyes were closed. No breath lifted his chest. Shepard's gaze wavered again a moment, before she carefully rested his hand over his chest.

Liara closed her eyes a moment. "Del, I am…I am so sorry."

They watched as the memory continued. Badly wounded, dying on her feet, the other Shepard got up and struggled up the stairs, the ghostly pair following.

"It was thinking about you that got me to the top again," Del said softly. "I couldn't have done any of it without you."

The dying Shepard reached the console, and they watched the conversation unfold as she tried to reach Sword, as she heard the reports of the Crucible docking…and then failing to fire. As the two white ovals appeared on the console, Del released Liara's hand and stepped up next to her doppelgänger.

"I remember this," she said. "But…most everything after is lost until I woke up on the _Orizaba_."

Weak, shaking badly, the dying Shepard reached out, white licks of plasma dancing over her hand a moment. She jerked it back, staring at the ovals, before placing both her hands firmly down.

Everything went white.

* * *

It was like an explosion in her mind, sharp, fast, and hot. Liara felt empty air behind her and her hands flailed out in an attempt to catch herself as she tumbled off the edge of the sofa and fell back onto the floor. For a moment, air refused to return to her lungs, her eyesight blurred and dazed.

Then a thin gasp. The pressure in her chest eased, and she coughed, blinking away tears. Almost that same moment, Del's horrified face appeared over her.

"_Liara!_ Liara, are you ok?"

Grasping the asari, she moved her into a sit as Liara coughed again, then slid her arm under her legs, lifting her. "We'll get you to a medic-"

"No…no, no need. I am all right. I think I just got the wind knocked out of me."

Del, already halfway to the door, slowed and looked at her. "I don't think-"

"I am fine, I promise," Liara said, and coughed again. Reluctantly, Del set her on her feet, searching her face before guiding her back over to the sofa and sitting her down.

Rushing into the kitchenette, she poured a glass of water and got a rag, hurrying back. Liara sipped at the water, taking a swallow or two before nodding.

"What happened, Tianlán? What was that?"

"I am not entirely sure," Liara said. "Somehow, I was forcefully thrown out of the Joining."

At Shepard's look, Liara shook her head, sitting forward and taking her shoulders. "It was not you, Del, not _really_. You did not hurt me-"

"Not really? So it _was_ me-"

"I am not entirely sure _what_ it was," Liara said, "or how it happened. If there were memories you did not want me to experience- consciously or otherwise-then you would have presented barricades, as you did before. Locked doors, walls, tidal waves- I would simply be unable to access those portions of your mind. This was…far more _forceful_."

Del's jaw tightened. "You are _not_ doing that again," she said.

"Shepard, whatever it is that happened-"

"You're _not_ doing it again, Liara! Goddamnit, I'm not risking you again like that!"

"P-perhaps a stronger asari then, an older one. Like before, when we used the Consort to help you with the beacon visions. Aethyta perhaps-"

"I don't know, Liara. I…I'll think about it."

Liara searched her face worriedly. It seemed that –much like things exploded constantly around the woman- things were also eternally trying to damage her mentally. The beacons, Wyatt's indoctrinations, Javik's rude gathering of her memories, the AI from the Overlord project- all this on top of the normal emotional wear-and-tear that was Del's day to day.

And now this. Something blocking off a portion of her memories, so desperate to leave them unrevealed that it managed to violently break an asari Joining, something that was not easy to accomplish.

As Liara's expression crumpled, Del looked troubled, scooting closer and gathering her in her arms. "Shh, hey. It's all right, Li…"

"When is this going to be over?" Liara asked. "Why must we continue to be confounded with these horrible things? Can we not just live our lives, be together in peace, be a _family_? We _stopped_ the Reapers, you nearly _died_ to do it. We have given _everything_, Shepard…when will it be enough? When can we just _be_?"

Shepard said nothing, just held her weeping bondmate close and closed her eyes.

* * *

The next morning, fresh in uniform, Shepard stepped into a hearing room on Charleston's Alliance Base. It was much like the room in Vancouver where she had been facing the defense council the moment the Reapers first attacked, descending like dark shadows to tear the planet apart.

Behind the huge desk in front of her sat several familiar faces, some of them surprising. Fleet Master Jack Barrett, looking jubilant, sat in the middle. Admiral Hackett and Admiral Henson of the Third Fleet sat to his left. On his right were Councilor Tevos from the Citadel, and Primarch Victus of Palaven. The last Shepard had known, both had been on their respective home worlds, helping with recovery efforts.

"Captain Shepard!" Barrett's voice was loud, even on the best of days. Now it fairly boomed as he held his hands out with an unabashedly joyful grin. "By God, woman- it's good to see you on your feet again!"

"It's good to be back on them again, sir," she said.

"I know Admiral Hackett has already done a full debrief, and we have a copy of his report in front of us. Unfortunately, as you know Shepard- none of those who made it up to the Citadel with you via the beam survived. We are all incredibly grieved at the loss of those brave men and women, and at the loss of Admiral Anderson. He was a damned good man and a spectacular officer in this Alliance, as well as a personal friend."

Shepard cleared her throat, and nodded. "Yes he was, sir. Thank you."

"Part of the purpose of this meeting, Del, is to bring you up to speed on what's been happening while you were recuperating. Firstly, I would like to say that the Crucible is being disengaged from the Citadel and will be brought to New York. It will be kept intact in case it is ever needed again, however the Citadel arms cannot be closed while it is locked in position, which leaves the station vulnerable."

"I heard the station was staying in Earth orbit. Is that correct?" Del asked.

"It is," Tevos replied. "It will retain its function as the seat of the Council and as an intergalactic hub, however, as it is at Earth that our species all came together in cooperation, we thought it fitting that it remain there…a reminder of the war and a symbol about how we all joined together to triumph."

Barrett nodded. "That's right. We are in the process of electing a reformed Council as well. You heard of the loss of Udina and Valern?"

"I did."

"The heads of every species home world have been in talks almost since the moment the Reapers were destroyed," he said. "It has been almost unanimously agreed that, in light of our new galactic cooperation, that the new Council contain a representative from each species. No voice will be left out of the governing."

"Councilor Tevos will be retaining her chair," Victus said. "Councilor Sparatus has indicated his desire for retirement, and I have been elected to take the turian chair. We have confirmed Baron Trimark of Dekuuna, and Captain Fin'Desai of the quarian fleet to chair for their respective worlds, however the rest are still under consideration or election."

"That is part of the reason we wanted to speak to you, Del," Hackett said. "Councilor Tevos has very strongly requested that you take the chair as the human Councilor."

Del lifted her brows in surprise, glancing at the asari. After Tevos had refused to send a delegate for the summit talks, and then refused to lend the asari fleets (until after Thessia was attacked, that is) to the effort, Shepard would have figured her to be the last that would ever make such a suggestion.

"I…am honored. I am afraid, however, that I am going to have to decline."

"Earth could use you, Shepard," Barrett said.

"I'm not a politician sir."

"You may not consider yourself a politician, Del," he said. "But you have a lot of friends in high places, scattered throughout the galaxy. You got nearly every single species to join forces, including those that had cause to hate each other for centuries. Having you on the Council would help to assure those allegiances, strengthen those bonds."

"With all respect sir, I would rather gouge my other eye out with a rusty spoon."

Barrett let out a snorted laugh, then cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "I see. Well, it is your decision, Shepard."

"On that note then, the _Normandy_ is still in the midst of dry-dock repairs," Hackett said. "I am assured it will be back to spec in a couple of days. Since you are nearly back up to par yourself, you can resume command, with a promotion of course-"

"May I say something, sir?" Shepard asked. Hackett lifted his eyebrows.

"Go ahead."

"I appreciate your thoughts, sir, and the honor of being considered as a Councilor or being granted a promotion. I truly am grateful, but I have no desire to be promoted, nor honestly…to resume command of the _Normandy_."

"What?" Barrett blinked, shocked.

"Sir, I am Alliance through and through. The service took a delinquent, troubled kid and gave her a purpose, and a family. What I have done, what I have given to the Alliance since that morning that I signed my recruitment sheet, has been given with every fiber of my being. So you will understand that it is with an extremely heavy heart, that I must ask that, in place of granting me a prestigious position or promotion, you would instead grant me retirement."

"_Retire?"_ Barrett gaped. Even Hackett looked stunned.

"Yes sir. I'm a married woman now, sir. I have a daughter on the way. I am a soldier sir, and I am not under any delusion that I could ever leave the Alliance for good but…I need to be with _them_ now."

"Shepard, the Reapers may be defeated, but this galaxy is still in turmoil, still recovering," Victus said. "It needs you-"

"What this galaxy _needs_, Primarch, is to remember the lessons I fought hard to teach them. You are good men and women. Good leaders. As I said, I am under no delusion that I'll be away from the Alliance forever. It's a part of who I am. For now, however, I _need_ to step back. I've thought of nothing but the whole of this galaxy and her people for the last three years of my life. Now it's time I think of a smaller part of it, the part that made all of it _worth_ something. I'm sorry, but my mind is made up. I ask nothing of anyone more than this."

Barrett leaned thoughtfully back into his chair a moment, then nodded. "Shepard, it's because of you anyone is even _sitting_ here, and that we _have_ a galaxy that needs rebuilding. Hell, if you asked for the moon, I'd wrap it in a goddamn bow for you. You have given more than anyone could have imagined, and if you ask me you damn well deserve a little happiness and peace now."

He rubbed a hand over his mouth, clearing his throat and nodding again. "Your provisional retirement is granted, Captain. Wherever you and your lovely wife decide to go, the Alliance will make sure you get there and have anything and everything you need. We'll consider your move classified…you are still free to tell whomever you'd like where you're going, but it will keep gawkers and reporters off your back. As for the _Normandy_-"

"If you don't mind sir," Del smiled. "There _is_ one more tiny favor I'd like to ask regarding the ship's new command…"

* * *

The _Normandy_ had been taken to dry dock just outside of Glasgow. Damage repair had been slow at first, until more resources became available, but now she looked as good as new. As Del stepped off the lift with Admiral Hackett and Liara, her eyes fell on the familiar gleaming lines of the frigate, and her heart seemed to move into her throat.

They crossed the amphitheater to the docking ramp, a private greeting them outside the airlock, saluting before he opened the door.

Hackett was the first inside, but as Del stepped in behind him, a surge of applause lifted her head, startling her.

Gathered in the CIC was her crew…her _entire_ crew. From Joker to Adams, from Garrus to Miranda, from Tali to Wrex and Grunt…every soul who still breathed and had once called the _Normandy_ home was there.

Overcome for a moment, Del could only stare. Liara, apparently as in the dark about this as Shepard had been, abruptly covered her mouth, tears swimming into her eyes. Hackett just smiled.

Then Ashley walked to the fore, turning to face the others. "_Captain on deck_!"

The crew all stiffened and saluted. Del felt her lower lip tremble a little and steeled her jaw, giving Liara's hand a faint squeeze before she stepped forward beside her friend.

"At ease," she said. Hands snapped downward. Clearing her throat roughly a time or two, she got her emotions under control, clasping her hands behind her back as she stood straight. "You have…you have no idea how good it is to see all of you again. Even Joker."

Clapping and hooting broke out again, and Shepard smiled, then nodded faintly. "Each and every one of you went through hell these last few years. You were tried by fire, and blood, and unbelievable sacrifice. I can say with no trace of hesitation that this is the finest…"

Her vision blurred, her voice thick after only a momentary pause. "…the finest crew of people that have _ever_ set foot aboard a ship. Your courage and dedication are an outstanding example to…to everyone that has the honor of meeting you. And I am not in the least bit ashamed to say that I…_fuck_. I just fucking love you guys, ok?"

More hoots and applause. Liara wiped her cheeks, and it did not escape Shepard that Miranda had done the same. Joker had gone red-faced, looking down as if studying the pattern of the deck plates.

"That said, I regret to inform you that as of this evening, I am no longer in command of the _Normandy_."

Gasps filled the room, not the least of which was from Liara, who stared at her in shock. "Del…?"

Shepard held up her hands. "This is my decision, one I felt needed to be made. Today is my last day with the Alliance. As of 1700 tonight, I will be officially retired."

"_What_?" Joker. "You're leaving the Alliance?"

"I am. I will be keeping in contacted with each and every one of you but…circumstances being what they are, I believe it is best at this time if I step aside."

"For a while, right? It's not forever…I can't imagine you leaving forever, Lola," Vega asked.

"I have been told by the Fleet Master and the Fleet Admirals that, if and _when_ I would like to return, I will be immediately reinstated and given any post or command that I wish. I may only be gone a year. Maybe five. I don't know, but you're right, James. I doubt as much as you do that I could retire forever. They tend to frown on firing really big guns if you're a civilian, after all."

"Who's going to be in command of the _Normandy_ then?" Wrex demanded, eyes turning toward him. "I may not be serving aboard her any more, but I can't stomach the idea of some random Alliance pyjak just nosing in like they own the place."

"I would _never_ leave this ship and my family in the hands of some 'random Alliance pyjak,' Wrex," Shepard said.

"This ship is a specialty frigate," Hackett said. "The original _Normandy_ was designated to Captain Shepard as a Spectre vessel, and we see no reason to break that agreement. She will _remain_ a Spectre vessel. At 1700 when Del officially steps down, Ashley Williams will take command of the _Normandy_."

Williams stiffened and looked at Del. "Me?"

"I can think of no one better for her than you, Ash," Del said, holding out her hand. "You take good care of her."

Slowly, Ashley reached out and accepted the hand-shake, swallowing hard as she nodded. "I will, Skipper. You goddamn bet I will."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry for the lengthy delay. With the holidays and other things, posting will probably be a bit more sporadic until after the New Year. My apologies in advance.

* * *

**Past: Seven Months Post War**

The shuttle lowered to emerald grass underneath a bright denim sky. At the construction site, a pair of workers turned and shielded their faces against the sun as they squinted toward the vehicle, then toward their boss as the man hurried forward.

"Captain Shepard! Captain, Thomas Behan at your service. It is an utter _honor_ to be meeting you, ma'am."

He thrust his hand out toward Del as she stepped off the shuttle, and when she took it he enfolded it with his other hand, shaking it with enthusiastic vigor. Though he was a clear foot taller, he seemed to shrink into a delighted little boy…one who has just met the star of their favorite zero-gravity football team.

"Uh, just Shepard will do, Behan," she said in return.

"Of course, of course! Anything you want! And this must be the lovely Mrs. Shepard! Delighted to meet you!"

He directed this at Liara, as Shepard turned and helped the asari down from the shuttle. Liara gave Del an amused look before nodding politely. Traditionally, asari retained their own surnames after a bonding, and passed those names on to the daughters born of them. In asari eyes, the child Liara was carrying would be born a T'Soni by default, not a Shepard- unless they specifically changed it on the birth notification form that went into the asari genealogical records. Del thought the notion of one spouse taking the other's name was a cute but antiquated ownership practice. She didn't turn a single eyelash at the idea that Liara did not take on her name, as it didn't change their relationship or the feelings they had for one another a single bit.

Other humans, however- especially ones with no real experience with the asari- always tended to assume that Liara was now 'Mrs. Shepard'.

"It is my pleasure," Liara said, not bothering to correct him.

"Well, how about a tour? We're still a week or two away from full completion you understand, but we have temporary quarters for you two set up nearby. They're quite comfortable, if I do say so myself. Top of the line, from Colonial Affairs. As you know Cap…uh, Shepard, every man on this crew is under military non-disclosure, including myself. They've been solidly vetted, so the location of your new home is safe, rest assured. Odd place to pick though, if I might say. This world is scenic but of no real value agriculturally. From what I understand, you could get some minor fishing or algae cultivation from the seas but the cost to implement such an operation would be far more than what you'd hope to harvest. As well, wasn't some kind of nuclear device set off here? They wouldn't have granted a construction permit if this area was dangerous, naturally, and I know there's a very small colony about a hundred kilometers from here-"

"The nuke was set off on the southern continent," Del told him, looking exasperated. "The zone is quarantined. It's perfectly safe here."

Liara seemed only bemused by the man and his rambling, silently following along with her hand in Shepard's as they approached the construction site.

Most of the heavy, dusty work had already been done. As the structure was stick-built to spec and not a prefab, a lot more was involved in its construction. Even so, it had gone up in record time- just another thank-you from the Alliance.

The nearly finished living room was large and airy, sunlight pouring in from massive bay windows turned toward the sea. A hundred yards from the front door, the landscape dropped off in an abrupt slope that lead down to a private, sandy beach. A young, wide-branched tree clung to the crest of this slope, just starting to bud in response to the warmer season.

A few engineers, working on the electrics for the automated systems, looked up from various wall panels. Del ignored their stares, glancing around and trying to envision the finished product.

Behan continued his almost endless spiel as they walked through the house, but as they passed through room after room, Del's expression seemed to grow more and more solemn. After a while, even Behan noticed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, looking worried. "You don't like it?"

"Oh, no…you're doing a spectacular job," Shepard told him. "I just…if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to my wife alone for a moment?"

"Of course, of course. Take all the time you need."

He left them standing alone in what would be the master bedroom suite. It, too, was filled with sunlight, streaming in warm and cheerful from the large windows. Here, the electronics had been installed, and almost idly, Del wandered over to the control pad and touched it. The glass went opaque, and then transparent again.

Liara moved over, taking her free hand and looking out on the view. Del gave her a faint smile.

"I just realized, I haven't ever had a home before. Not like this," she said.

"You did not consider living with Nan home?"

"No," Del said slowly. "Not really. I stayed there, and she did her best to make me feel comfortable, but…it was always just 'Nan's house' to me, you know? I was only there a couple of years and even then, I was still with the gang. I don't think she really knows, but until I signed up with the Alliance I never stopped running with the Reds. It wasn't living on the streets or bunking in some abandoned building or sleeping under a rail bridge, but the rest was much the same. Petty theft, keeping lookout while some kid from Savon Street got the shit beat out of him…"

"You did not want that life any more, Shepard."

"I know I didn't. I tried. And it _was_ better, after Nan. A hell of a _lot_ better, but…life like that, it doesn't let go easy. Signing up with the Alliance was a kind of desperation. Nan showed me there was something more to life, and the Alliance helped me to find it. Even then…"

She shook her head. Sperry. Fucking Sperry. He'd still managed to haunt her until she'd finally killed the fucker. That was the moment she'd finally, _truly_ gotten free.

"'Then' is in the past. This is now, Shepard. This is your home…with me, and our daughter. A real family, a place where you will always be loved."

Del looked at her softly, the ghost of her old lopsided grin wrinkling the burn scars under her eyepatch. "Yeah," she said, and then reached out, lightly placing her hands on Liara's swelling belly. Seven months in her condition was unmistakable, but she still had another five to go. Unlike humans, the asari's typical gestation was twelve months as Earth kept the calendar.

Crouching, Shepard smiled at Liara and then spoke to her stomach, mocking a serious expression. "You hear that, Little Nub? This is my first real home and it's going to be yours, too. I'll do my best not to muck it up for you, and in return, you need to promise when you're grown you won't be bringing any batarians home-"

"Shepard!" Liara laughed.

"What? I need to lay the ground-rules down now, so there are no misunderstandings."

"You are _already_ concerned with her future love life?"

"Hey, I gotta keep her safe, right? So…" She looked back at the belly. "No batarian boyfriends, Nub. Or girlfriends. No human ones either, come to think about it…in fact, it's probably just safe to assume you can't date until you're at least a Matron-"

"Honestly!" Liara chuckled again, taking Del's hands as she rose to her feet again.

"What?"

"You do not want her to date humans?"

"Of course not!" Del said, aghast. She slid her arms around her bondmate and drew her close, her grin going sly. "I know just how lecherous humans can be, you know."

"Is that so?"

"That, my beautiful Tianlán, is very much _so_."

Shepard's grin lasted until the kiss began, lingering but still too brief, as both were well aware they could be interrupted at any moment.

As if on cue, barely had they parted than Behan poked his head in, clearing his throat timidly. "Uh…sorry, not to disturb you, Captain, but there seems to be some question about the play-wall in the nursery?"

"What question?" Del asked.

"Well, it says in the specs that you want it wired for full interaction and for vid link but…did you want the entire landscape package with the ceiling weather/astronomy suite, or-"

"Ok, hang on right there," Del said, holding up a hand. "Li?"

"You go," she said with a smile. "I'll stay here and enjoy the view a moment longer."

"You sure?"

When Liara nodded, Del ducked in and kissed her cheek lightly, before following Behan out. Stroking a hand over her stomach, Liara looked out on the Virmire coast.

"Is he still out there somewhere, darling?" she asked softly. "Is he watching over us, do you suppose?"

The baby couldn't really answer, of course, though Liara was constantly aware of the warm, cheerful, radiating light that was the child's growing spirit. Liara's expression grew a little sad as she thought of Kaidan, and the day they had lost him on this very world. It was part of the reason she had suggested coming here to Shepard. Thessia and most of the asari worlds were still in ruins. She helped as much as she was able with her still-existent Shadow Broker contacts, but being there right now in person…she did not have the emotional energy for that, not yet. Shepard was not the only one to be wrung dry from the war, and while Liara had no doubt whatsoever that they would end up once more in the thick of things- end up helping more directly with the recovery of Earth and Thessia and all the other worlds ravaged by the Reapers- right now, perhaps selfishly, they needed to leave it be.

Returning her attention to the child within her, she smiled softly. Already, she felt an extraordinary, almost overwhelming love for the little life they had created. She knew that Shepard felt it too, but there was a hesitant distance as well- a timidity.

"I think your Bába is afraid, darling," she said. "She had no love as a child, but the very fact that she is worried she will be a bad parent to you only proves that she will not be. She will love you with all her being, and she will keep you safe and happy, no matter what she must sacrifice to do so. You will be her Little Nub from the moment she first holds you, until the very end of time."

* * *

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

"I _won_," Shepard said insistently.

"You did not win, you left it at a tie," Liara replied, setting the small bowl of cut fruit down in front of Lily, who was perched in her secure seat. The infant immediately grabbed a slice, chewing on it with copious amounts of drool. Irie, reaching over to her daughter with a napkin, exchanged an amused look with Mel and Dae, shaking her head.

"_What_ tie?" Del asked, and patted the table lightly. "Who's still sitting here, hmm? I may be old and have less than half a marble rolling around in my god-…forsaken head, but _I'm_ here, _he's_ not. I _won_."

"I'm with Mama," Irie said. "Uncle Wrex was nearly a thousand years old when he _met_ you. You cannot use the fact that he passed on before you as the basis that you won the bet. I have heard the story countless times, and your one and only fist-fight ended in a tie-"

"You're kidding right?" Melara jumped in, scowling at her sister. "Bába thoroughly thrashed his a-…_rear_! I saw the vid-"

"While I appreciate the fact that you both are at least somewhat civilized enough to watch your language in front of Lily, you are still as incorrect as incorrect can be," Irie said.

"Blasphemy," Del snorted, picking at her food. "Sheer and utter blasphemy."

"Oh yeah, Braincase?" Melara said to her sister. "Prove it!"

"_Prove_ it? You watched the vid, remember? Bába _herself_ calls the draw. They were both so thrashed they could barely stand-"

"_Exactly_! Bába was still on her feet after fighting hand-to-hand with a krogan warlord! I'd call that winning, considering she was fighting with a severe handicap-"

"_Handicap_?" Del said, looking up at her daughters.

"That is quite enough," Liara said, setting down the final dish. "I did not tolerate squabbling at my table when you two were small and I will not tolerate it now that you are both well over your first century. That is enough of this silly conversation."

She took her own seat, feeling fingers slide over her hand as she did. Gripping Del's hand tightly, she hoped the shaking in her own was not noticed. However they might pretend that this was simply another family gathering, the truth of things was ever-present at the back of her mind.

Time had seemed to vanish so suddenly. It felt as if it were only hours ago that Irie and Mel were small, having to sit in their own boosters to reach the table. At night, sometimes, Liara would wake in confusion, wondering why she was not in the Nest on the _Normandy_, or in her bed on the Broker ship over Hagalaz. Worse- and more common, the last few days- was when she would expect to see her bedroom on Nos Astra, reaching out for a form that was not there, weeping as she prayed to the Goddess that the Illusive Man would truly be able to bring Del back.

There was no coming back this time. Until the reality of it had been presented, Liara had always been positive she could handle it with grace…this inevitable parting. They had finally gotten their time together, two centuries of it. They had finally gotten their peace, their family. Losing Shepard to old age had seemed such an impossibility way back then, when just being a _marine_ was an almost guaranteed early death.

Surely, after all they had faced- and grieved though she might be- she could better deal with the parting just so long as it came from age, from the natural course of her lifespan.

Now that it was here, however, she felt like a terror-stricken child again, hopelessly fumbling and falling apart. For Del and the sake of their daughters, she was doing her best to bear up, to put on that smile and be strong, but she feared it was wearing through the cracks. Irie, at least, had seen it. Melara would hide it better, but Liara had no doubt she had seen it as well.

In their own sweet way, they were trying to help. The familiar bickering, the jokes, all designed to help distract her from that sinking inevitability. She loved them for it, but distractions were not enough.

Del and Liara both did little more than just stir their food around. When she cleared the plates with Daenys' help, Liara noticed that none of the three younger asari had truly eaten much, either. Only Lily, far too young to understand, had eaten with any appetite.

Shepard went into the living room with Irie and Melara, reaching out for Lily as she sat down. The toddler was yawning, clearly sleepy, and Irie had been about to lay her down in her pen.

"Are you sure, Bába?"

"Course I'm sure. C'mon, give'er."

Irie carefully moved Lily into Del's lap, the baby quite contented to snuggle under her grandmother's arm with her hanar toy, popping her thumb firmly in her mouth and dozing almost instantly. Del brushed a hand over her little crest affectionately, and looked at Irie. "She sucks her thumb, just like you did."

Irie colored a little, sitting down as well. Melara smirked, but said nothing. Del gave a weary sigh, settling a bit deeper into her chair. Irie looked at her hesitantly a moment as Shepard's free hand wandered to her shirt pocket, and then away again with an irritated grump.

"Haven't smoked in four years, and I still keep reaching for them," she said, then regarded her eldest child. "I'm so sorry we couldn't come when she was born, Irie-"

"No, no. You have nothing to be sorry for, Bába."

"I got a hell of a _lot_ to be sorry for, Irie. I suppose nearly everyone who gets to be my age ends up being sorry for some silly thing or another, no matter the species." A brief pause, then, "She's got her Dad's eyes, I see."

"Yes," Irie said with a fond smile. "He sends his best wishes. He so wanted to be here, to see you again."

Shepard grunted with a smirk. "After what I put him through? Not a chance."

"_Despite_ what you put him through, Bába, he is very fond of you."

"Then he's a goddamn loon," Shepard told her. "You married a goddamn loon, Nub."

Irie smiled, arching a brow. "Is it not a human saying, that a girl tends to fall for a man that reminds her of her father?"

"That'd be funny, were I a man and you a human, Nub."

It did not escape Shepard how quiet Mel was being. She had always been a rather contemplative child. Del supposed that if things had been different in her own childhood- had she had a proper upbringing and the love of a family- she herself would have been much the same. Instead, she had learned to funnel her anger and temper into directed bursts, controlled rages. While Mel had a temper, it was far more in the normal and healthy realm than Del's had ever been.

Mel had always seemed keenly aware that she was not as scholastic as her mother and sister. Where Irie sailed through her academics with brilliant scores in mathematics and astrophysics, Mel had done no better than average. As a child, books had seemed to stymie her, and she would take nearly four times as long to get through an assigned reading course than Irie did.

More than once, Del could remember finding her youngest hiding in her room, sitting in that shadowed space between her bed and her wall. She would always deny she had been crying. Usually, it was an instructor, or a fellow student that was the cause- either innocently or malevolently bringing up Irie's accomplishments and wondering why Melara's were not quite up to par.

It never failed to infuriate Shepard. She and Liara never compared the two girls, knowing full well that both were wonderful and incredible in their own right, and she always felt the urge to punch a set of teeth in when some outsider would laude one over the other, especially to their faces.

Truth was, Melara was incredibly smart…just not where it came to academics. There was no strategy game they could play in the house that Melara would not win. Given a set of logistics, she could immediately identify weaknesses, strengths, and points of concern. She knew more about explosives, weapons, and tactical warfare than Del herself did…and she was an _incredibly_ smooth talker.

Once, beset upon by assassins, Del had managed to kill all three using only her wits and a toilet seat. Shepard had no doubt that, were she confronted by the same scenario, Melara would talk two of the assassins into shooting each other and the third into begging her pardon.

In public or during the course of her work, it was Mel's nature to sit back and be quiet, listen carefully to everything presented without question or argument. Then, she would take whatever topic or entangled mess that needed fixing and swiftly, decidedly, _correctly_- fix it.

Among family, however, she had long outgrown her reticence. She was something of a smartass (Del still blamed Joker for that, though he had professed innocence to the grave), talkative and charming and always able to see humor in everything. That Irie was the one carrying the conversation, with Mel a silent observer, told Del more about how Melara was feeling right now than anything else could have.

Liara seemed to sense her youngest daughter's melancholy as well, for the moment she and Daenys returned from the kitchen, she sat down beside her and took Mel's hand.

"We heard of your latest tour, Irie," Daenys said as she sat nearby. "I swear you can't turn on any feed from the Citadel to Thessia without seeing you."

They discussed Irie's music for a few minutes, before Liara patted Mel's knee and got to her feet, walking over to the chair where Del sat with Lily, both now fast asleep. Carefully laying the chair back into a recline, she accepted a blanket from Irie and gently draped it over the pair. When she reached out and lightly brushed a hand over Del's cheek, it didn't escape Melara when her fingers lingered slightly longer beside her lips, her hand trembling faintly as she determined that her love was still breathing.

Mel got to her feet, nodding at Irie, who gently took Liara's arms.

"It is a lovely day," Irie said with a smile. "I feel like a walk outside, on the beach. The fresh air would do me some good I think. Let Bába and Lily enjoy their nap together."

"I-I should-"

"You should go with Irie and take a walk," Melara said, touching her mother's shoulder. "Dae and I will stay here and keep an eye on things, don't worry."

"I do not think-"

"_Go_, before you wake them both up with your fussing," Melara said firmly. "It'll be fine, Mama."

Reluctantly, Liara let her eldest lead her out of the house, pausing at the threshold of the front door and glancing back a moment before the door slid shut. Despite the warmth of the day, she seemed to shrink in a bit, as if it were cold. Gently, Irie took her hand.

"Come on, Mama."

Together, the two asari walked toward the slope, and the well-worn path that lead down to the sea.


	5. Chapter 5

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

The private beach was nearly a mile long, flanked by two short peninsulas that formed a small bay. It was spring on Virmire, and flocks of colorful birds- a dozen different species- clustered along the low cliffs and wheeled over the azure waters.

Irie held Liara's hand as they walked along the sand, watching the birds as they dipped and swirled and squabbled and nested along the rocks.

"Do you remember when Mel climbed the cliffs on the south side, that one summer we came back to visit? Bába was so upset with her."

Liara nodded slightly. "She was determined to raid one of the nests, take a hatchling and raise it herself. She was always so fearless. She didn't care about the wet rocks or the undertow or even the angry flock. She was going to get one of those hatchlings."

"Then her foot got caught in the rocks and she was too stubborn to call for help until she was stuck there for over an hour, birds dive-bombing her the whole time. I do not think I have ever seen Bába so incredibly _furious._"

Liara nodded, looking sadly at the swirling waves. "She was not furious, not really. She was very frightened, Irie."

"Yes, I suppose she was."

"She did not want you two to see, but when we got back to the house that afternoon- Mel safe and sound- Del sat on our bed and just…she just _shook_. The idea of losing either of you…"

At Liara's pause, Irie looked at her, unsurprised to see her mother struggling with tears. Hugging her tightly, she fought to keep her own from falling.

"I cannot lose her, Irie," Liara sobbed. "What am I going to do?"

"You are not alone, Mama," Irie said softly. "You are not alone."

* * *

**Past: Nine Months Post War**

"_Captain Shepard! We know that you are in there! Surrender yourself now and you will not be harmed!"_

Del lowered her hands from her collar, stepping back from the mirror with a frown of confusion. Beside her, Nancy jumped at the sudden, booming voice that sent a faint tremble through the entire house.

"My goodness!"

Shaking her head, Del walked out of the bedroom, padding barefoot down the hall toward the living room as Liara emerged from the nearby bathroom.

"Was that-"

"_Captain Shepard! This is your final warning! If you do not come out with your hands held high, we will be forced to open fire!"_

"Oh for fuck's sake."

Del reached the front door, and stepped out on the porch.

The soft emerald grass flattened under directed blasts of air, strong enough to send her hair whipping about. Striding down the steps, she paused and looked up at the nose of the hovering frigate and its menacing MHD.

Jabbing her hand up in the air, she extended her middle finger with a smirk.

Joker's laugh echoed over the loudspeaker as he pulled the _Normandy_ back, swinging her around to land on the cliff top several meters from the house. As she settled down, Liara stepped over next to Del and shook her head.

"Leave it to Jeff-"

"Inside," Nan interrupted, taking hold of the asari carefully and tugging her toward the house. "Del is not supposed to see you before-"

"We're already married Nan," Shepard said. Nan ignored her, Liara giving Del an exasperated look before vanishing inside with the older woman.

Still barefoot, Shepard strode across the grass toward the frigate as the engines powered down, the cargo doors opening. Tali and Ashley were the first to disembark, the quarian breaking into a run and all but tackling the human woman.

"Jie Jie!"

Holding her tight, Del spun her in a circle before setting her down. "It's good to see you too, Mei Mei. I'm so glad you were able to come."

"I missed the first one," Tali said. "No force in the galaxy, not even the Admiralty Board, was going to keep me away _this_ time."

Ashley was there a moment later, striding in to hug Del the moment Tali released her. "Hey, Skipper. Good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too, Ash," she said, then gave her a sardonic look. "'Come out or we'll open fire?' _Really?_"

"Hey, that was Joker's idea. I told him it was on him if he wanted to risk the Wrath of Shepard."

"I'll make sure he knows my 'gratitude' very -…Jesus fuck, does he have what I think he has?"

Her eyes had fallen on Wrex, Grunt, and Eve, who were heading their way. In Grunt's arms was a large and squirming bundle.

"Yeah," Ashley said with a wince. "I'm afraid so."

"Battlemaster!" Grunt's smile was wide, if not a bit intimidating thanks to his new scars. As he reached Del's side, he unceremoniously dumped the bundle into her arms. "In honor of your Day of Mating!"

Del struggled to hold on to the squirming and kicking thing in her arms. "G-Grunt! This is a _varren_!"

"From the finest pack on all of Tuchanka," Wrex told her, slapping her arm firmly and nearly making her dump the wiggling beast. He seemed nearly as happy about it as Grunt.

"Wrex read that humans often gave canine pets as gifts," Eve said.

"A varren is _not_ the same thing as a puppy!" Shepard replied.

"What's the difference?"

"Well, for one…when it's grown a puppy wouldn't be big enough to swallow my infant daughter whole!"

"Ha!" Wrex seemed to think this was some kind of a joke. "She'll be a Shepard! She'll be able to handle a varren."

"She'll be an _infant_, Wrex-"

"Where's the food, I'm starving!" The two krogan males headed toward the house, Eve following along.

Looking at Shepard, Ashley smirked. "Well, _I_ think it's cute-"

"Good!" Del thrust the varren cub into Ashley's arms. "Then _you_ keep him!"

* * *

The reunion with her friends was bittersweet. While Del knew from the start that she could never fully part herself from the Alliance, she had expected to last at least a little longer than just nine months. Seeing the familiar ship, the familiar faces, however, filled her with a longing she didn't expect.

Nearly everyone was there. Ashley, it seemed, had crossed the galaxy, picking up not only Tali and the krogan, but everyone else that she could that had ever served on the _Normandy_ or fought at Del's side. The only real notable exceptions were Riot, Javik, and Private Westmoreland, who had been reassigned to the squad of ships that continued to search for any stray Reapers.

Ashley and the _Normandy_ had been engaged in the same activity for the last nine months, but part of the perks of being a Spectre was being able to break from an assignment long enough to attend your former commanding officer's wedding.

Though Del and Liara had been officially bonded in the CIC, the ceremony had been rushed, the occasion spur of the moment and missing many important friends. They had discussed the matter during Shepard's rehabilitation after V-Day, and both had agreed that a second ceremony needed to be done. As the first had followed asari tradition, Liara was insistent that this one would follow human customs. Del had told her it didn't matter but Liara was bent to the task, consulting with Nan as to which finer points of the wedding ceremony to adhere to, and which to disregard.

It would be on the beach, that seemed a given. Even before the arrival of the _Normandy_, a covered pavilion had been set up down on the shore, well above the high-tide line. While the caterers had all been vetted by the Alliance, Liara insisted she would arrange the music and would not discuss it at all with Del. Shepard trusted her, but she knew with something this big, there was always the chance of word slipping to the media. If a single reporter found out where they were and what was going on, they'd be swarmed.

One sight that Del had been surprised to spot coming off the _Normandy_ was that of two geth. Neither platform was familiar, the first the size and general shape of a trooper but somehow more streamlined. The second was a Prime.

"Shepard, I want to introduce you," Tali said, leading Del over to the patiently waiting geth. "This is Chiktikka. She was assigned to my suit systems to help adapt my immune systems. She helped me to save the _Neema_ during the Battle."

"Good to meet you," Del said, unhesitant in offering her hand. "But…she? I thought the geth preferred genderless descriptives."

"In our experience with organics," Chiktikka said, "we found ourselves most identifying with what organics refer to as the feminine. We decided to adapt such a pronoun, though many of our people have chosen the masculine, or preferred to remain gender-neutral. It is our belief that the females of most organic species possess the higher cognitive power and greater physical tolerances in relations to pain and adaptivity-"

"Where have I heard _that_ before," Garrus remarked with amusement from nearby, shaking his head. "Only months into a treaty with organics and bearing no reproductive organs, they've already developed gender-wars."

Shepard smirked and cast him a look, then nodded to the Prime. "And this?"

"This platform doesn't have a separate identity," Tali said. "Right now it is being remotely controlled by Chiktikka. It…well, it is my wedding present to you."

Del stared at her in confusion. "You're giving me a geth Prime?"

Tali giggled. "Not _exactly_. Here, let me show you what I'm planning."

They walked up the ramp and into the cargo bay. As Del stepped onto the ship, she couldn't help but feel that nostalgia start again. Heading into the fray, landing on remote or unexpected worlds- never knowing what was going to happen next. Feeling the hum of a ship's drive under your bunk, the faint surge as it hit FTL speeds…

Then she remembered Liara and their unborn daughter, not to mention the months of recuperation she'd endured, and suddenly her nostalgia waned. Yes, she'd return to the Alliance someday…but that day wasn't any time soon.

Tali lead her over to the weapon's lockers. Lying beside them was a geth pod, very similar to the ones they'd found on Rannoch. Tali stroked a hand over it.

"I remembered that your implants allowed you to enter the geth Consensus," she said. "And after you were injured I started thinking. While you never really left your body, it was relegated to the control of your primitive brain, allowing your higher functions to focus on the task at hand."

"I remember," Del said with a nod.

"Given your resistance to sedation, I thought it might be feasible to utilize the same procedure to allow you to have your eye fixed. With this pod, you could enter the Prime platform, your higher functions taking control of it and allowing Dr. Chakwas to operate without your feeling every cut."

Shepard stared at her. "Would that work? Did you talk this over with Helen?"

"She did," Chakwas said, walking over from the lift. Unlike the others, she had a pair of packed bags with her. She'd be staying on at Beaty colony nearby, doing some volunteer work for the next few months and leaving a temporary doctor on the _Normandy_. She and the parents-to-be both wanted her to be on hand for the birth of Liara's baby.

"I've gone over all the physiological details with Tali and Chiktikka," she said, setting the bags down nearby. "And there is a very high likelihood that it will work. You might remain very distantly aware of what's happening with your body but it would be at the back of your mind, like a dream…much preferable to suffering such a surgery fully conscious, or remaining half-blind the rest of your life. And if it works for your eye, there's no reason to suspect it won't work for any other injuries you will inevitably receive."

Del couldn't help the smile. "Hey, I'm retired now, remember?"

"Yes, 'retired'…and I'm a vorcha. We both know that you won't stay retired for long. You'd wither up and fall apart if they tried to keep you out of uniform."

"So, do you like it?" Tali asked, wringing her hands self-consciously. "I mean, it's worth a try, right?"

"Yes, it is," Shepard said, and hugged her quarian 'little sister' again. "I love it, Tali. Thank you. C'mon. Let's get up to the house. I need to finish getting ready and there is nearly a metric ton of food and booze that won't eat itself."

* * *

As preparations continued down on the beach, Del pointed Tali and Helen that way and hurried back toward the house. Liara, already dressed in a simple gown only slightly more formal than the one she'd worn on the Normandy, ambushed Del as she entered the main bedroom.

"Hey, I thought I wasn't supposed to see you before the wedding," Del said, winding her arm around Liara's expanding waist and holding her close. "You look absolutely stunning, Li."

"Yes, well, I discussed things with Nan, and declared that was a silly tradition. She did insist on the 'something old, something new, something borrowed', though I believe I convinced her I was 'blue' enough as it was."

Del laughed, kissing her cheek lightly before drawing back. "I need to finish getting ready, and change my shirt now that Grunt's 'gift' messed it up."

Noticing the wrinkles and slobber marks on the formerly nice blouse Liara lifted her brows. "What did he bring, a varren?" She joked.

Del lifted a brow and went to rummage in the closet. Liara gaped after her. "You are not serious? He actually brought a varren?"

"It's just a cub," Del said, stripping off her blouse and grimacing as she flipped through her clothes. She owned little to nothing that could be considered 'formal' or 'dress', and she didn't want to put on her retired dress blues again. "From the finest packs on Tuchanka, according to Wrex."

"Goddess, I need to have a word with both of them. We do not have the time or the resources to care for a varren, and I will not have my baby daughter eaten before she can even walk."

Finding a dark burgundy button-front blouse, Del drew it out, examined it for wrinkles, then pulled it on. "I'm not going to let anything happen to the Little Nub, Tianlán. I'm certainly not going to let her get eaten by our wedding present."

Liara gave her an amused look. "You're teasing me."

"Only a little," Del winked (with her eyepatch, unfortunately, it just looked like a blink). "How do I look?"

"You look…like the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life," Liara said softly. Del stepped close again, snaking a hand around her waist and dipping in for a kiss.

"Flatterer."

* * *

Liara seemed a bit nervous as they made their way down to the beach. The ceremony wasn't due to begin for another hour or so, as the officiator had not yet arrived. Ashley was helping Nan with a few last touches, pausing to give Liara a hug as she greeted the asari, the two whispering together a bit confidentially before Liara stepped back to Shepard's side with a smirk.

"What?" Del asked, suspicious as Liara stood in front of her, pretending to fiddle with her blouse collar. "What are you two up to?"

"Oh, nothing," Liara replied airily. "We were just discussing my wedding present to you."

"Li, you didn't have to get me a present," Del said. "We talked about this. You and the Nub are all the present I need."

"I know, but I wanted to, and it is tradition."

"You threw the whole 'no seeing the bride before the wedding' tradition out, why not this one?"

"Del," Liara smiled, cupping her face lovingly. "I _wanted_ to. That is reason enough."

"I suppose so," Shepard said. She was hardly one to speak, as she had also gotten Liara a wedding gift, secreted away for the moment. Liara lowered her hands, her smile broadening even as it turned coy. Del frowned, her suspicion only growing as she narrowed her eyes warily. "What did you do…"

"So," a deep voice, like melting chocolate, suddenly spoke up behind Shepard, freezing her down to her toes. "This must be the happy couple."

Shepard didn't turn around. She felt a flutter in her stomach at the same time her heart seemed to restart from a momentary pause, drumming in her ears. After a breath or two, she seemed to get control of her tongue once again.

"You didn't…"

"I did," Liara replied.

Del slowly turned around.

He stood only a few feet away, battered hat cast jauntily over his forehead, his well-worn suit coat nice enough if slightly threadbare. He, too, was barefoot, his hands jammed in his pockets as if he had just been strolling along, enjoying any other day at the beach.

Del had never met him before in her life, but she would have to be dead not to recognize him instantly.

She must still have been staring, because Liara poked her lightly in the small of her back. Clearing her throat, she somehow regained control of her tongue.

"M-Mr. Flatwood, I'm sorry, I just…I wasn't expecting…"

"Hey, it's Charles," he replied, sticking out a big, calloused hand. "And the honor is _all_ mine, Captain."

"Del. Del, please," she said, taking that hand, a grin spreading on her face. "It's…just…_holy fucking cow_…"

He laughed, then slipped off his hat and nodded to Liara. "Ma'am, it's very good to see you again."

"It is my pleasure, Charles. Thank you for coming."

"How could I resist? Del, I can't speak for the galaxy at large but, as just a tiny part of it…thank you, for everything that you did. You are a true hero, and to have the opportunity to be here and see you married to this beautiful gal here…I'd be a fool to stay away."

"I'm just so…_so_ incredibly honored sir…Charles…I mean-" She shook her head, shocked that she was not only getting choked up, but downright misty. Clearing her throat she nodded. "_Thank you_."

He nodded. "You're very welcome. Hey, listen. I heard a nasty rumor that you strum a bit of guitar yourself. That true?"

She grinned. "Yes it is."

"Stringed right? Please tell me you don't play no damn hokey HI in place of real deal steel."

"Charles, you're a goddamn _god_ to me, so I'll forget you even suggested I'd waste my time with an HI guitar."

He barked a laugh, clapping her shoulder. "Good girl! Well then, I'd love to play some with you later on, if you'd like. In the meantime, I see some beers chillin' over there, just callin' my name. Congratulations again, you two. We're gonna make this one hell of a party."

As he wandered off toward the group gathered near the coolers, Del stared after him, then turned her wide grin on Liara.

"I take it you like the gift," Liara said with a smile.

Del hugged her tight, lifting her right off her feet.

* * *

Admiral Hackett arrived half an hour later, and just before evening, Del and Liara stood barefoot in the sand, holding each other's hands with their family and friends gathered around. As they repeated their vows, the sea behind them turned pink and red and gold, the sky blazing with sunset.

Liara hadn't arranged for just Flatwood to be there, of course. His entire band set up in the pavilion, and after the ceremony had concluded, they played the first song for the couple to dance to…_Blind Hope_, naturally.

Del held tight to Liara, everything fading but the two of them, the music, and the soothing rhythm of the waves. Everything that Shepard had never dared hope for was right here with her. As the song ended, she smiled and said, "_Irie_."

"What?" Liara asked softly, smiling faintly. "Is that Chinese? What does it mean?"

"It's not Chinese," Shepard said. "It means…peace. Harmony. That feeling that you get when the stars align and for a moment, everything is just…_perfect_."

"That is a beautiful word," Liara whispered, brushing a hand over Del's scarred cheek, neither wanting to step back away from each other's warmth, even though the song had ended. _Desert Dreams_ started up, other couples now moving out onto the sand to dance, barely noticed. "Irie…"

"That's what you are to me, Tianlán," Shepard said. "You and the Little Nub. You are my peace, everything perfect I never dreamed that I would have."

Liara colored a little, before she felt Del's hand gently stroke over her stomach. Looking down, she rested her own hand over it, both of them feeling the happy, dancing, colorful spirit of the child growing within. When Liara looked back up, her gaze was questioning, a request without words. Del smiled and nodded her consent.

"My Sky Blue," she said softly. "And my little Irie…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Past: Nine Months Post War**

Liara sat in the low chair on the beach with Nan and Helen, watching as Vega horsed around with the young varren cub. Though the hour had long gotten late, the air was still warm and comfortable, and no one was inclined to call it a night. The paper lanterns strung overhead cast cheerful reflections on the water. Some couples still danced, others ate, a few waded barefoot in the surf.

Del was over with the band, having brought her guitar down from the house. Liara smiled softly as she watched her talking and laughing with Flatwood and the others as they discussed music and instruments.

"How are you feeling, Liara?" Helen asked, drawing her attention. Li was idly rubbing her stomach, a habit she'd fallen into more and more often as her condition became obvious. "With the little one?"

"Oh, I have felt very well," she said. "Some small amount of backache, but Del has been helping me with those with some massage."

"Good to hear. Baby kicking a lot?"

"On and off. She feels…" Her expression went a bit wistful, distant.

"She feels..?" Helen asked gently.

"Well, she feels not at all as I would expect," Liara told her. "I mean, being a child of Shepard's."

"How do you mean?"

"It is…it is silly, I suppose. I know the research and what is believed about asari pregnancy, that the father does not truly contribute anything to the development of the child, but-"

Nan reached over and took her hand, and Liara gave it a gentle squeeze. After a moment, she continued. "The child is so serene," she said. "Even her movements…they are very languid and gentle. Her spirit is happy but…calm. Almost thoughtful somehow."

Helen smiled. "And none of those things seem like Del?"

Liara chuckled faintly. "She is often _thoughtful_…I suppose I was simply expecting the baby to have a more forceful personality. Be energetic. I fully expected that Del and I would have to be constantly chasing her about, keeping her out of mischief. Instead, it is as if she is truly an embodiment of her name, even before we had chosen it."

"You chose a name?" Nan smiled excitedly. "You didn't tell me that! What is it?"

"Well, we only just decided," Liara replied. "It was a word that Shepard used, to describe tonight. Irie."

Helen nodded. "Peace and harmony. It's a beautiful name, Liara. As for the baby herself, I wouldn't worry. I have a feeling you'll still be chasing her about and keeping her out of mischief. Besides, you two weren't planning on stopping with just the one, were you?"

"We have not really discussed it. Shepard has been wonderful about the whole thing but she is still trying to adjust to the idea, I think. She still fears she will not be an adequate parent."

"A common fear for all first-time parents, believe it or not. You know as well as we do that any child would be blessed to have Del Shepard watching out for them."

Liara smiled again, glancing over toward the band. Del was perched on a stool, a cigar in her mouth as she strummed a duet with Flatwood.

Then, far down the beach, a glimmer of light caught her eye. Sitting forward a little, she knit her brows as she looked that direction.

"Li? What is it?" Nan asked, also turning to look.

"I think a few couples have wandered off toward the cliff," she said. "I thought I saw an omni-light. It-"

Flashes of cherry and orange flame licked out of the dark, the unmistakable rumbling staccato of automatic weapons-fire shattering the evening. Part of the pavilion shredded as bullets chewed through cloth, a string of the paper lanterns breaking free and collapsing.

Though almost the entire party was made up of seasoned fighters and marines, very few of them were actually armed. The krogan immediately rushed for the shadowy attackers, Wrex and Grunt's battle roars almost as loud as the gunfire.

Shepard had dropped her guitar, knocking over the stool as she jumped to her feet, shoving Flatwood to the ground even as she whirled around. Helen grabbed hold of Liara, she and Nancy trying to pull the pregnant asari under cover.

The gunfire turned back toward the pavilion as Del turned her head, looking for her wife. _"Li?"_

"_Shepard!"_

Three blood red roses bloomed from the front of Del's shirt as a trio of bullets stamped over her back. As she collapsed, Liara screamed, tearing away from Nan and Helen and…

…snapping awake with a faint gasp, eyes staring wide into the darkness of the bedroom. The sheets were tangled around her legs, the faint sound of the surf outside soothing and calm. Heart racing, Liara slumped back into the pillow in relief, covering her eyes a moment.

A dream. After all they had been through in the last few years, the occasional nightmare was to be expected, however that did not make them any more pleasant to endure.

As she lowered her hand, she realized she was alone in the bed. The clock read that dawn was still a few hours away. Concerned, she cast aside the sheets and carefully got to her feet. Within, little Irie moved and stretched a bit, and Liara paused, pressing a hand to her stomach.

"Shh, sweet one. It is all right, "she whispered, then padded to the door.

The wedding had been two days before. Contrary to her nightmare, everything had gone beautifully…more perfectly, in fact, than she ever would have dared imagine. The only hitch to it now slept just outside the bedroom door, flopped on his side and twitching as he drooled a little.

Del had been unable to tactfully send the varren cub back with Wrex and Grunt. The younger krogan had seemed so pleased with the gift, she lacked the heart to really press the issue, not wanting to hurt his feelings. She had promised Li that she would find it a new home, but for now things were what they were.

Stepping around the snoring cub, Liara went into the living room, finding Del standing just outside the garden door, thin streams of smoke filling the air. Liara smiled softly. Shepard had been so careful not to smoke around her, confining the activity to outside.

Silently sliding the door open, Liara stepped outside as well. When Del saw her, she immediately snuffed the stub of the cigar in a nearby tray. "Hey," she said. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"You did not," Liara said. "Are you all right?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Just…restive, I guess. Thinking."

She folded Liara into her arms, the asari going willingly and embracing her just as closely. "Concerned about tomorrow?" she asked, her forehead resting on Shepard's shoulder.

"Concerned? No. I trust Tali and Helen. It'll be interesting, I think…and nice to have both baby browns back again. Not that I'm not _endlessly_ dashing and charming with the eyepatch…"

Liara laughed softly, straightening and lightly tracing the scars on Del's face with her fingers. "It is still hard for me to believe, sometimes- that the war is over, that we are truly together."

"Yeah. Winning a war is only the first step, sadly. Letting it go is a whole different monster."

Liara nodded, then leaned in close to her bondmate again, once more resting her head on Del's shoulder. Between them, little Irie shifted again, the joy of her little spirit brightening sleepily a moment before fading back into slumber once more.

* * *

Tali and Chiktikka had remained behind when the _Normandy_ departed. A quarian transport was due to pick them up at the end of the week and bring them back to Rannoch. Helen had arranged for room at the clinic in Beaty to perform the experimental surgery to replace Shepard's eye, and the morning was bright and cheerful as they arrived in the small colony.

Beaty was not large, made up of only a thousand or so souls who had originally been sponsored by a Binary Helix exec. He was hoping, when he retired, to make Virmire a resort world. Unfortunately, when the nuke destroyed Saren's cloning facility, fully half of the colonists he'd wooed into settling there left the planet, and it became almost impossible to lure any more.

It was this very lack of colonists that had caused the Reapers to completely bypass Virmire for far more densely populated human settlements on other worlds. Not a single hostile foot had set down on the island planet.

The exec's plans for a resort were abandoned for good when he was killed in the initial attack on San Francisco, and the remaining colonists were more than happy to just quietly abide. If any of them knew Shepard and Liara's true identities, they only winked and nodded and let live.

While Tali was finishing the final adjustments on the Prime and the pod, Helen showed Del and Li the aquatic birthing center where Irie would be welcomed into the world.

Shepard crouched at the edge of the currently empty pool, scrutinizing it with the same hesitant intensity she would a bomb that may or may not be wired to blow. "You're sure this is safe?"

"It is very common for asari mothers to give birth in the water," Helen said. "And nearly fifty percent of human births are done the same. Irie and Liara both will be just fine, I promise you."

Del scratched her forehead and straightened, still looking unconvinced. "What about music? I read on the extranet that sometimes that helps."

"The room is fully wired for sound. You may play any music of your choice."

"How…will this go, exactly?"

"Well, about a week before the due date, Liara's biotics will weaken and become unreliable. About four hours before the onset of physical labor her biotics will cease to function completely. It's an evolutionary safety measure. As with most mammalian organics, childbirth for asari is physically and hormonally very taxing. Biotics are difficult to control with such intense circumstances, and newly born infants could inadvertently be harmed by their own mothers were their biotics not suppressed."

"So we'll know when it's time?"

"Yes, without a doubt. When her biotics fade completely, you'll call me and head here. Once physical labor begins it takes on average between two and four hours before the child is born, unless there are complications."

Del looked alarmed. "Complications?"

"Shepard, I will be fine," Liara said, taking her hand. "Irie will be fine. We are both in good hands."

"There's nothing to fret over, Shepard," Helen said. "Carrying a child and giving birth are risky endeavors, there's no getting around that. However Liara is young and healthy, Irie is growing well, and there are no warning signs or indications that anything might go wrong."

"So you can guarantee me that nothing is going to happen to them?"

"Of course I can't. There is always a measure of uncertainty in life, whether at the beginning of it, the middle, or the end. No one can ever know for sure _what_ will happen. What we can do is minimize all risks, and be prepared in case that isn't enough."

Shepard didn't look comforted. If anything, she looked even more worried. Liara gently cupped her face.

"Del, you know as well as I do that Helen will not let anything happen to me, or to Irie. We are both going to be just fine."

"I know, I just…"

_I just know my luck._

"Del? Liara? We're ready, I think!" Tali's voice called from the corridor.

"Ok, we're on our way in," Shepard replied. She threaded her hand in Liara's as they followed Helen out of the birthing room, doing her best to put her worries out of her mind.

* * *

The geth pod looked odd in the stark white examination room, wired into the power feeds that Tali had fished from the wall. As Del took off her boots and her omni-tool, Tali explained the basics.

"It won't be like going into the geth server," she said. "You'll be able to use the Prime's optic and auditory processing centers to see and hear the normal world. It might be different than you're used to, but it won't be the surreal landscape presented to you the last time we did this. You have to stay in the pod to maintain connection, so Helen will be performing surgery on you while you're still in there."

"We'll make sure you're fully integrated with a series of tests," Helen said. "Once I'm sure that it's safe to proceed, you, Tali, and Liara will have to leave the suite for sterilization purposes. I will be able to communicate with you via wireless to make sure you're doing all right and to let you know how the surgery is going. It should only take about two hours."

"All right."

She sat down on the edge of the pod, Liara bending in and giving her a quick kiss.

"I'll see you soon," Shepard said with a faint smile, before she climbed in to the pod, laying down. Chiktikka took over the controls.

"We have modified the pod to allow connection with the door open," she said. "You will see a series of flashing lights. Do not be alarmed."

Del blew out a breath and nodded, giving Liara a quick wink as the asari looked down at her.

A moment later, the lights flashed in her face, bright enough that she closed her good eye against them with a wince. The lights merged into one brilliant flash and she felt her stomach drop abruptly. Instinctively, she lifted a hand.

"I forgot how _bright_ that is!"

"You will adjust in a moment," Chiktikka said.

"Shepard, how do you feel?" Liara asked anxiously.

"I feel fine, it's just that light…" It slowly started to fade, the suite reappearing around her. She lowered her arm, realizing she was standing in the corner of the room, looking down on the others from at least four feet higher than normal.

Everything looked much the same as it did to her human eyes, save a faint curving around the edges of her vision. Lifting her arms again, she looked at them, seeing the Prime's arms in place of them.

"This is weird."

"So is your voice," Chakwas said. "You sound like a geth."

As Del tried out her new 'body', Helen turned to the now unconscious form in the pod. Liara watched in amusement as the Prime flapped its face-plates, bobbed its head up and down, and whirred the guns on its shoulders.

"I could get used to this," it said happily. Liara gave her a look.

"Do not get too used to it. I do not fancy cuddling up to a Prime, thank you."

The top pair of face-flaps waggled up and down as if they were eyebrows, and Liara shook her head with a faint laugh.

"Ok, Shepard, I'm going to try some physical stimulus. Tell me what, if anything, you can feel. Oh, and face the other way, would you?"

"Why?"

"If you can see what I am doing it might affect the results."

"Ah, gotcha."

The Prime turned, facing the door of the suite. Behind it, Helen lightly touched a scalpel to Del's cheek…not enough to cut the skin, but enough to be felt.

"How's that?"

"Don't feel anything."

"Good. How about this?" She moved the scalpel to Del's earlobe.

"Nothing."

"Excellent. All right, I'm going to try a small electronic signal directly to your sciatic nerve. Were you conscious and in your body, this would be extremely painful so…if you can endure this, then we know you will be able to endure the surgery."

"All right, hit me."

As Chakwas applied the signal, Del felt something in the back of her mind, like the memory of heat. It was so distant as to be inconsequential- she'd had paper cuts that hurt worse.

"How was that?" Helen asked.

"I was aware of something but I wouldn't really call it pain," she replied with a mechanical shrug.

"Excellent, that's just perfect. All right. I'm going to sterilize the room and get to work then. I'll stay in communication, so if you feel anything at all unpleasant let me know immediately."

"Come on, Shepard. Let's give that Prime a test drive," Tali said, taking hold of one big hand. It took Del a moment to really get the hang of walking…she felt as if she were on over-tall platform shoes, and had to duck to fit out of the door. Liara and Chiktikka followed close behind as they worked their way out of the clinic and then outside.

_{Shepard, can you hear me?}_

"I hear you, Helen."

_{Excellent. I've just finished the sterilization and am setting to work. Have a fun outing.}_

The guns on the Prime's shoulders whirred again, and inside the chassis, Del grinned.

* * *

**Present: 217 Post War**

After Irie and Liara had left, Mel sat silently for a long time, watching Del and Lily sleep, before she suddenly rose and walked down the hall to the study. Daenys stood up and followed her, pausing in the door with a faint frown.

"Mel?"

The younger asari was standing in front of a shelf, holding a carved wooden box in her hand. As Dae said her name, she looked over at her. "I'm all right," she said. "Just…worried about Mama."

Daenys, who knew better, walked over and looked at the box. "Shepard made that for your mother, if I remember correctly? An anniversary gift?"

"Birthday gift. She didn't make it, not herself," Melara told her. "Shortly after they first met, they fought a thresher maw. Mama knocked its tooth out, and Bába gave it to her as a trophy. Years later, she had an artisan make the box, using the tooth to inlay the top, you see?"

She ran her fingers over the top of the box, before she slipped it open. The box was empty. Mel shook her head a little. "She's never put anything in it. I'm not really sure why."

"She has her reasons, I am sure."

Mel closed the box again, setting it on the shelf. "It's hard to imagine," she said. "Bába not being there. She always seemed so…_indestructible._ I…sorry, Dae. That sounds incredibly selfish of me."

"No," Daenys replied, sliding an arm around her waist and resting her forehead against Mel's temple. "You are not selfish-"

"I am. I wasn't thinking."

It was easy to forget, sometimes, that Daenys had never even met her father. Sydney had died long before her daughter was born. Navis had kept pictures and recordings, of course, but they were few. All Dae really knew of the woman who had died to keep her and her mother safe was stories from others.

"Hey." Daenys gently took her chin, turning her face and meeting her eyes. "It is _all right_."

Mel looked down a little, then nodded. Wiping a hand over her lips, she drew away and walked over to the window, looking out. She could not see the beach from here, of course, but she looked that direction regardless.

"I should have gone with them. If something goes wrong-"

"Nothing is going to go wrong, Mel. It is best that you let Irie handle this. You tend to get…emotional, where _she_ is concerned."

"I wonder why _that_ is," Melara said bitterly.

"She is not going to hurt them. You need to trust your sister."

"_Irie_ I trust. It's the _feng mu gou_ I don't."

Dae took her shoulders, turning her away from the window and looking at her sternly. "Trust your sister. Trust _me_. I know how you feel but it is not like that, not any more. Neither Irie or I would ever put your mother into any danger, you _know_ that. This is important, Mel."

"Why? Why _now_? Why _today_? Why couldn't she just _stay gone_? Mama doesn't need this, not when her _bondmate is dying!_ Doesn't she have _enough_ to deal with right now?"

"This is only partly for Liara, Mel," Dae said. "The rest-"

"What, the rest is to assuage her conscience? She's a goddamn _abomina_-"

She broke off as her eyes landed on a figure that had stepped in the study door. Del Shepard looked weary, but her eyes were as dark and intent as they had ever been. Mel immediately felt ten years old again under that gaze, stiffening.

"Bába-"

"What is only 'partly for Liara'?" Del asked. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, I thought you were sleeping-"

"I was, until my youngest started shouting in my study," Del said. "What is going _on_, Melara?"

"I can't tell you."

"You can't tell me? You can't tell me who the 'goddamn abomination' is? That's what you were going to say, isn't it? _Why_ can't you tell me, Mel?"

"Because if I tell you you're going to upset yourself and- what are you doing?"

Del had turned and plucked her battered old swagman off her desk, setting it on her head before turning and pressing her thumb to a tall, secure cabinet. The door beeped and slid open, and Shepard reached in, pulling out her rifle.

"_Upsetting_ myself, apparently. There's only one person I know who you call an 'abomination'."

"Del, stop, _please_," Dae said, stepping forward. "You are in no condition to-"

The look Shepard gave her could have melted steel, as she ratcheted a thermal clip into place. Wordlessly, she turned and headed toward the study door, only to jolt to a halt as a biotic field enveloped her. Mel held her hand out, her face stone.

"Mel," Shepard said with a deadly calm. "You let me loose right _now_."

"I can't do that, Bába," Mel replied firmly. "I won't let you do this. You're not strong enough-"

"_Fuck_ my being strong," Shepard said furiously. "If your Mama is in danger-"

"She's not. She'll…she'll be _fine_."

"It is true, Shepard," Dae added hastily. "She is not in danger, I swear it. You know that we would never put Liara in harm's way. Please…there is no need for the gun, nor for you to go rushing out. We can discuss this."

Shepard was silent a long, tense moment. Daenys edged around Melara and walked in front of her, meeting her eyes. Reaching out into the biotic field, she gently took hold of the rifle.

"I _swear it to you_, Shepard."

Shepard glared into those burnished gold eyes a moment, before her grip on the rifle loosened a little. "All right."

Dae nodded at Mel, who let the biotic field die. Dae very gently took the rifle, then passed it over to Melara before she took Del's hand.

"Come. We will talk."

* * *

Irie sat with Liara on a smooth, polished rock at the edge of the sea. The tide had shifted a little, and Liara let the waters swirling about the base of their seat play over her toes. Irie, her arm loosely draped around her mother's shoulders, watched the hem of her dress dampen as it dipped into the sea.

"We should go back," Liara said softly. "I want to be there when Del wakes up. Sometimes she is…disoriented."

"Mel is with her," Irie replied gently. "We will go back in a little while."

"What is it you are up to, Irie?" Liara asked, looking at her daughter. "Why are we out here?"

"You have been cooped up in the house for weeks, Mama. You needed some fresh air, some _time_-"

"Mel is a far better liar than you ever were," Liara told her. "I know better, darling. What is it you feel you cannot tell me?"

Irie's gaze softened and grew damp, before she gently cupped her mother's cheek. Leaning over, she kissed her forehead. "I love you, Mama."

"I love you too, but that does not answer my question-"

"Hello, Liara."

The voice came from behind them. Though it had been years since she had heard it, she knew it instantly. Surging off the rock, Liara whipped around, grasping hold of Irie protectively even as she sent a biotic wave over the sand. It crashed into the lone figure standing only a dozen yards away, violently casting them off their feet and sending them tumbling to the beach.

"Mama, _no_!" Irie grabbed hold of Liara's arms as the older asari bared her teeth, her eyes fixed on the form on the ground. "Mama, no, _stop_!"

"Let me go, Irie!"

"No, no_, please_…I asked her here! I _asked her here_! Shh, stop, please! She's not going to hurt us!"

Liara's fury turned to confusion as she stared at her daughter. "Why did you…you _asked_ her? What is going on?"

"Yes, Mama. Yes, I asked her here. Please just…she just wants to talk, that is all. No one needs to hurt anyone."

The figure pushed herself off the sand, sniffing a little as she gently swiped a smear of blood off her upper lip. Liara stalked forward a little, lighting up again in warning as she put herself in front of Irie.

"Do _not_ move."

"Hello, Liara," the turian said, straightening a bit, still dabbing at her nose. Liara's sky blue eyes narrowed a little, no warmth in her face.

"Hello…_Athena_."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: To everyone, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. May the season be warm and bright and filled with love.

And a humble thank you yet again to the ever wonderful and talented Bladhaire.

* * *

**Past: Twelve Months Post War**

Shepard stood on the rise outside the house, where the hill fell away sharply to the beach, marked only by a winding path. The young heddek tree, just a bit taller than the human woman, shifted and swayed a little in the stiff ocean wind.

Drawing a lungful of smoke from her cigar, Shepard let it trail from her lips as she watched the waves below, as they spilled over the colorful rocks and surged up onto the soft sand.

The surgery to replace her eye had gone beautifully. She had felt nothing, whatever faint sensation there was lost in the distraction of the novelty of being a geth Prime. She'd spent half the time in the chassis taking out electronic targets with the guns on her shoulders, as giddy with them as most children would be at a much-desired toy that was finally dropped into their lap.

Tali and Liara had spent most of the time watching and talking, happy that the experiment had worked. Del had eventually, out of sheer curiosity, asked what would happen to her if somehow the Prime was damaged.

"Would you…_die_, you mean, if the Prime was destroyed?" Tali asked. "No, of course not. You're not really in it, remember? Your nanites are just creating a virtual reality interface that takes up most of your higher functions, in order to integrate and remote-control the Prime. You are still in your body."

"So if the Prime were destroyed I'd just wake up back in the clinic."

"Yes. You _are_ in the clinic, after all. Actually transferring your consciousness into the Prime isn't possible. While we could exactly mimic your brain's electrical paths and synapses in the Prime's artificial cortex, that's all it would be…a mimic. The Prime might act like you, even think it _was_ you, but the real you would still be in your body. If you died, the Prime would only be a simulation of you, not the real Del Shepard. In fact, you could do that and still walk around as you, with the Prime walking around _thinking_ it was you. It'd get messy."

"Yeah. Not sure I'd want to fight a Prime for my wife," she said, and gave a face-flap wink toward Liara.

"You would not have to. I told you, I do not want to cuddle with that Prime."

Del had gone back to target practice, and shortly after Helen informed her that the surgery was done.

Waking up back in that pod was a bit disorienting. Though the eye had been replaced, it was still covered with a sterile patch which would have to remain for a few hours to give the muscles time to tighten and strengthen themselves.

Now she looked on the surging Virmire seas with both of her own eyes again, feeling the sunlight pouring over her shoulders, each breath of fresh salt air- for the moment- driving thoughts of the war and the Alliance out of her mind.

"Shepard?"

She turned as Liara stepped to the front of the porch, still winding on a robe. Dropping her cigar and scuffing it out, she walked that direction.

"Tianlán? I thought you were in the bath."

"I was," Liara said. "I tested my biotics again…and nothing happened."

Liara's biotics had been weak and sporadic for the last few days. That she could not activate them at all now, meant that Irie's arrival was soon.

Shepard reached her side, cupping her face a moment. "Are you ok?"

"I feel just fine…though a bit odd. I have never been completely without my biotics before. Even when they were exhausted, they'd at least give a faint spark, a faint _feeling_. Now, there is simply _nothing_."

"Get dressed. I'll call Helen and get packed, load up the car." Liara could feel her mate's hands shaking a little against her skin as Del leaned in and kissed her. "And try not to be nervous, everything is going to be all right."

"I will try," Liara said with faint amusement. She felt a bit excited, but not what she would call nervous. Del, on the other hand, seemed to be another story.

Retreating back into the bedroom, Liara got dressed, attempting her biotics again briefly just to be certain. Nothing happened, and she felt that oddness once again. Having had biotics all her life as an average asari, she had always taken them for granted. She felt oddly vulnerable without them.

Nan came into the room a few moments later. She'd been in napping, but Del had clearly woken her and told her what was going on. She started on the packing while Del called Helen, and it wasn't too long before the three of them were piled in the skycar and heading for Beaty.

"You sure you're feeling all right?" Del asked nervously from the driver's seat.

"I feel just fine," Liara reassured. "We have several hours still until physical labor even begins."

"Try not to fret, darling," Nancy told Shepard. "Just think about the beautiful little life you'll be holding in your arms soon."

Del was trying to, but it was only making things worse. Her gut, usually an infallible alarm, was turning over. She kept trying to chalk it up to sheer nerves, an understandable desire to have her wife and child be all right, and the burgeoning reality that she –Delilah Shepard- was about to be a parent. Unfortunately, such self-reassurances were not helping. In fact, they seemed to be making her stomach worse.

If something went wrong, it wouldn't be a problem she could fix with a gun or a quick fist. She couldn't bulldog or intimidate her way through it. The life of the two most precious people to her would be completely out of her hands. She'd be helpless…and Del didn't do _helpless_.

They landed at the clinic, Helen already waiting for them. She ushered the three into a private suite, a nurse on hand as she gave Liara a quick scan.

"Your 7H levels are up," she said with a smile. "Little Irie is nearly in the correct position. Judging by when you noticed your biotics were gone, I'd say we have between two and three hours before you'll start to feel physical labor."

"7H?" Del asked.

"7H is an asari hormone that is excreted by their Havass gland when pregnancy is initiated…the Havass gland being the asari equivalent of what would be the ovary in a human being. The hormone remains at low levels throughout most of the pregnancy, but increases drastically toward term. It's what shuts down their biotics and induces physical labor."

"And this hormone level is in a good range?"

"She's spot on where she should be," Helen said reassuringly.

"Y-you said that Irie was 'nearly' in the correct position-"

"Del," Liara said gently, reaching over and taking her hand.

"Shepard, try not to fret," Helen told her. "Everything is just fine. Irie is right where she should be. The onset of physical labor will finish adjusting her position and move her down into the pelvic cavity. I promise, if I saw anything to be even remotely concerned for, I would let you know instantly. For now, all you can do is help Liara to relax. I'll have some ice brought in- she needs to stay hydrated. We'll hook up a monitor and see that the pool is prepared and ready to go."

After Helen stepped out, Del tried to keep her fretting to a minimum, knowing her anxiety would only serve to make Liara anxious. Nan was there as well, keeping her distracted with pleasant talk about the baby and the coming days, and helping her send off notification messages to Tali and the others. By the time physical labor actually began, Del was just starting to relax. The moment the first, very mild contraction hit her wife, however, her anxiety roared right back to the fore.

Helen returned and did another scan, then instructed Liara to walk. Leaning on Del and with Nan beside them, an increasingly grumpy Liara spent the next two hours wandering the clinic and grounds, nibbling on ice chips and pausing each time a contraction would strike. At first they were mild and staggered, but soon enough they became more powerful and regular. Seeing the pain on Liara's face each time one hit her was doing nothing to help soothe Del's worries, but she reminded herself that labor for any mammalian species was intrinsically painful.

Knowing that, and seeing Liara hurting, however, were completely different beasts.

Two more scans, and Helen finally pronounced her nearly ready, ushering Liara and Shepard into a changing room outside of the water birth suite, instructing them to enter the pool room when the contractions came five minutes apart. As only the parents and the medical staff would be allowed in, Nan retreated to a nearby waiting room.

Shepard helped Liara strip down, draping a thin robe around her, and then clinging to her and holding her steady when another contraction caused her to hunch and cry out slightly.

"Shh, we're almost through this," Del whispered to her, encouraging her to breathe. "Just keep thinking about Irie, Tianlán. You're so strong. You'll get through this."

As the contraction eased, Liara's grip loosened on her love a little, but did not release her. Her breathing was a bit shaky as she tried to center herself again. "That is it," she said with a thin smile. "I swear to the Goddess, Shepard if I can find a way- _you_ are carrying the next one."

"With that incredible mind of yours, I have no doubt you _will_ find a way," Del said gently. She helped Liara fasten up the robe, then stepped up behind her. She gently swept her thumbs over Liara's lower back, trying to ease the residual pain. Feeling Liara finally relax slightly Del leaned forward to place a kiss to the side of her face.

"Still six minutes apart. Our daughter is very stubborn."

"_Your_ daughter is very stubborn."

Chuckling, Del continued to knead the muscles around the small of Liara's back for a few minutes, her efforts rewarded with a quiet sigh. Turning, Liara placed her hands on Del's shoulders and rested her forehead against the other woman's. "Thank you Shepard."

"For what? You're the one in labour, I'm just the one who got you into this mess."

Smiling tiredly Liara captured Shepard's lips in a chaste kiss, the affectionate gesture barely starting before she broke off with a pained groan, Del's t-shirt suddenly pulled askew as the fabric of the shoulders was balled up in blue hands. Burying her face against the side of Shepard's neck, Liara tried to follow the breathing exercises Doctor Chakwas had taught her.

When Liara's hands relaxed again and her heated breath was skittering less frequently across Shepard's neck, Del kissed her lightly on the temple.

"Five and a half minutes. _Now_ we're getting somewhere."

Leaning against Shepard, Liara shook her head. "How do you do that?"

"What, keep time in my head? Necessity I suppose. My entire life my survival has depended on timing. Darting out of vents as a kid to grab food, dodging the blue shirts, moving between cover as a soldier. It's just second nature now."

"Well it certainly makes my life a lot easier." Smiling at the couple as she entered the room, Dr. Chakwas powered up her omni-tool, quickly checking a few settings in the scanning program before approaching Liara. Del stepped away, but only slightly.

Running the scanner over the asari, Chakwas nodded approvingly. "Looks like things are finally progressing. How are you feeling Liara?"

"Exhausted, but excited. I just wish our daughter was as ready to meet us as we are to meet her."

"It shouldn't be too much longer now. You are almost fully dilated, and as Shepard noted the contractions are nearly at the five minute mark-"

Almost as if on cue Liara exhaled sharply, Shepard's arms automatically encircling her to provide whatever comfort she could. Clinging to Del's forearm hard enough to leave faint impressions when she let go, Liara could feel herself trembling as the contraction subsided.

"I hope so. I do not know how much more of this I can take."

Chakwas nodded. "I think it may be time to enter the pool."

As she stepped out to do a final check on the birthing room, Liara suddenly felt incredibly nervous. As though sensing her shift in mood Shepard drew her close, placing a series of small kisses along Liara's jaw.

"It's ok Li, I'm here. I'm just going to get undressed, ok?"

Making sure Liara was steady, she quickly stripped down to her underthings, then took hold of her again, helping her into the pool room. A UV curtain had been activated at the door, sterilizing both Shepard and Liara as they passed through it.

Dr. Chakwas and a nurse were within. They had put on skin-suits for the pool, and were finishing with the equipment they needed.

As they neared the pool side, Del glanced at Liara. She could see the asari struggling to disrobe herself, shaking fingers unable to release the ties on her gown.

"Here, let me."

Gently unfastening the gown, Shepard slipped it off Liara's shoulders, unable to help herself as her eyes roamed over every inch of blue skin as it was revealed. She took in the sight of her pregnant bond mate as though she had been blind her whole life and this was the first time she could see. Exhausted as she was, Liara was still practically glowing. Brushing her lips past the asari's cheek Shepard leaned in close.

"You are so beautiful. My Goddess."

Del felt Liara shiver slightly against her, her whispered reply barely audible.

"You can still say that even though I have been acting like a thresher maw with a sore tooth for hours now?"

Moving back just enough to lock her eyes with Liara's, Shepard cupped her face and softly kissed her. "I love you Tianlàn. Beyond all measure, and all hope."

As Liara colored a little, Del dipped in and kissed the tip of her nose, then took her hands and slowly led her into the pool. The asari sighed in relief as the buoyancy of the water lessened the pressure on her lower back. The water was pleasantly warm, lapping gently just beneath the bottom of Liara's ribcage. Del helped her to sit in the low sling that would keep her in a semi-reclined position, seating herself beside her and winding her arm around her shoulder as Chakwas did another scan.

"Things look good. Comfortable?" When Liara nodded, Helen continued. "I'd say just a few more minutes until you can begin pushing, Liara. I'll tell you when. Would you like some pain medication?"

"N-No, I think I will be all right. _Shepard_ may need some though."

"Ha ha," Del smiled gently, stroking a damp hand over her crest. Liara tensed as another contraction hit, gritting her teeth with a sharp cry. Del held her tight, ignoring the strength with which the asari clenched on to her fingers, softly urging her to breathe. As the contraction passed, she had a thought, and looked at Helen.

"Is it…could we meld?" she asked. "Would that help?"

"_Not_ an option," Helen said firmly. "You're not asari. I don't want your head exploding."

"My…_what_?"

"Before we developed space flight, asari would often meld with their bond mates during labor and birth," Liara explained, rubbing her stomach nervously as she tried to catch her breath. "Afterward, when we started taking mates of other species, we discovered quite horribly that to do a meld with _them_ during labor ended in disaster."

"The fathers, more often than not, suffered catastrophic cerebral hemorrhages, their brains literally tearing themselves apart. It has to do with the extremely high levels of 7H. They dampen biotics, but cause meldings of the nervous systems to be far more powerful than normal. Asari brains are designed to compensate, but _our_ poor gray matter ends up crushed under the force of it," Chakwas said. "It would kill even you, Del."

"In that case…forget I mentioned it."

Liara lifted her hand and kissed it a moment, before another contraction hit. After it passed, Helen nodded. "All right, looks like we're set. Liara, with the next contraction I think you can begin to push."

Del did not release her hold on Liara, grimacing in sympathy with every grit-toothed, growling cry that she uttered, praising and reassuring her as every contraction passed and she panted for air. It was during one of these pauses for breath, a short respite between contractions, that the nurse monitoring the equipment suddenly tapped Helen's arm. The older woman glanced at the equipment, then at Del as she focused on Liara.

"Li, stop pushing," she said firmly. "Next contraction, do _not_ push, whatever you do."

"Wh-what? Why?"

Helen didn't have a chance to respond as another contraction came. Overwhelmed by it a moment, Liara struggled against the overwhelming instinct to push. Del held her through it, and as it started to pass she looked sharply at Chakwas.

"What's going on?"

"Her blood pressure is spiking too high," Helen said. "Something's happening. I need another full scan."

Del tried not to get alarmed as the nurse quickly scanned her again. Helen looked at the results, and at the sudden tightening of her jaw Del felt her heart drop.

"What?"

"Shepard, I'm sorry, you're going to have to leave," Helen said firmly, then nodded at the nurse. "Get some assistance in here."

"_Leave_? I'm not going to leave! What's going on?"

"Wh-what's happening?" Liara asked.

"Liara, we need to take you out of the pool," Helen told her quickly. "The baby has twisted and caused a Unideral tear. The scans showed her crest was still soft but apparently the larger folds masked a smaller one-"

"What does that mean?" Del demanded.

"It means that a small part of the baby's crest has _already_ hardened: the Unideral Effect. It's rare but it happens. Normally the crest remains soft so it folds back during birthing, and doesn't harden until the infant is six months old. Sometimes, parts of it harden too soon. When the baby twisted her crest tore into the birth canal and she's now stuck at an awkward angle. Liara, your blood pressure is spiking in reaction to hers- she's in medical distress, and you have started bleeding rather badly. Do _not push_, whatever you do. If you push you could seriously injure Irie and tear yourself even more. We need to get her moved out of the position she's in and seal that tear immediately, but we can't do it in the water. Del, I _need_ you to leave."

"I'm _not_ leaving-!"

"You _are_."

The orderlies hurried in, helping the nurse to lift Liara out of the sling, getting ready to maneuver her out of the pool. Del held tight to her, her fear blatant in her eyes. "Li-"

"Shepard, I-"

She broke off as another contraction hit, halting them lifting her as she cried out in pain, fighting desperately not to push.

"Del, she needs to concentrate and so do I!" Helen said. "Meld or no meld you two still have a very strong bond and your panic is going to make things worse. I need her blood pressure to go down and you _need to leave_!"

"I can't-"

Li's head lolled back suddenly against Del's shoulder, her body going limp.

"Li?" Feeling a flood of warmth around her, Del looked down into water – obscured now by a heavy cloud of sapphire. "_Li!"_

"We need the bed, get her out of the pool!" Helen ordered. The orderlies bodily hauled the limp asari out of the water, pulling her out of Del's arms as the nurse pulled the hideaway bio-bed out of the wall nearby. Scrambling out after them, Del grabbed for her wife's hand as they went to lay her down, then jerked back as Helen gripped hold of her arm, stepping between them and fixing Shepard's gaze intently.

"Leave or your wife and daughter are _going_ to die! I need to do this _now_! _Go_!"

Stumbling back, eyes fixing on Liara's pale face a moment, Shepard turned and fled the room.

* * *

An hour passed. Shepard had spent the first half of it pacing the waiting room, hands frantically clenching and loosening again, before Nan finally got her to sit down. Though she had semi-dried and re-dressed, damp patches on her clothes showed the minimal effort she'd put into it.

She barely heard Nan's quiet reassurances and attempts at comfort. All she could think about was that she was going to lose Liara. After all that had happened, everything they'd been through, she was going to lose the love of her life like this, without even being able to be at her side.

She had her face in her hands, fingers threaded through her hair, staring at the empty space on the floor between her feet, when the door opened again. Instantly her head lifted, her red-rimmed eyes fixing on Chakwas as she got to her feet.

"Liara-?"

"Is sleeping," Helen said softly, smiling. "We were able to stop the bleeding and seal the tear. She'll be just fine, Shepard."

Del felt her shoulders sag in relief, so strong she nearly felt dizzy in the wake of it. She covered her eyes with a shaking hand as Nan's arm wound around her waist, the older woman unable to keep the breathy sob from her voice.

"Oh, _thank God_."

Taking a ragged breath, Del looked up again with urgency as she remembered. "The bab-"

Then her eyes fell on the bundle in Helen's arms…a bundle she had completely missed. The words died in her throat before she could actually speak them, and for a long moment she just stared at the tightly wound white blanket, the infinitesimal little blue fist clenching it.

"Congratulations, Shepard," Helen smiled. "She's perfectly healthy, and perfectly beautiful."

Del's eyes went blurry a moment, her shaking fingers finding their way to her lips a moment before she lowered them again. "She's all right?"

"She's absolutely fine, and eager to meet you."

Helen reached out, Shepard startling a little as she instinctively took hold of the bundle with a wordless protest, a faint shake of her head. Her arms awkwardly settled, and just that fast…she was holding her daughter.

She looked from the blanket to Helen, wide-eyed, before she regarded the blanket again as if a grenade was secreted in it, about to explode. Nan reached past her arm, shifting the blanket a little to be able to see the infant's face.

Little Irie had one fist tucked under her chin, the other still clinging to the edge of her blanket. Her eyes were closed, her lower lip slightly pooched as if she were deeply considering the most mysterious philosophies of existence. Tiny, almost invisible freckles peppered her little nose.

"Del, she's absolutely an _angel_," Nan whispered. As if without conscious control, Del lifted her fingers and lightly brushed them over the little girl's cheek. At the touch, Irie stretched a little, her contemplation deepening a bit before she yawned. Her mouth worked sleepily, a dream of nursing, before her eyes cracked open. Beneath the faint, unfocused fog of all newborns, they shone a pale lavender grey. She seemed to regard the face looming over her with puzzlement.

Del's usual self-control seemed to have completely shattered. Tears flooded her eyes, and she desperately fought them back before finally finding her voice.

"Hey, you…" she whispered roughly. "I'm your Bába…"

* * *

Liara woke up slowly, the heavy weight of sedation reluctantly releasing their grip. At first, she felt nothing more than distant, unconcerned confusion. Shifting her hand on a soft blanket, she didn't feel the familiar rising swell, her belly now notably flatter. Memory returned suddenly at the sensation. Alarmed, she turned her head.

Del sat in a chair nearby, her feet pulled up underneath her. Her attention wasn't on Liara, but rather what she was holding in her arms, her face rapt. As she stroked a tiny cheek, the infant fussed a bit, letting out a mewling cry.

"Hush Baby Blue, it's ok. Your Mama is just resting, she's going to be fine."

"You are a natural."

Del looked up instantly as Liara spoke. Rising immediately, she carefully set the bundled baby in a nearby bassinette, before she crouched at the bedside, taking Liara's hand and gently stroking the other over her crest.

"Hey," she said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and…unfocused, but all right," she replied. "Irie…"

"She's just fine," Del whispered. "And _you're_ just fine. Helen took care of you, just like she promised."

"I want to see her..."

As she started to shift a little, trying to push herself up, Del gently took hold of her. Adjusting the bed, she helped Liara to sit up, making her take some ice chips and peering with concern into her face, before the asari gave a reassuring nod.

Carefully, as if handling glass, Del gingerly lifted the baby from the bassinette again. As she eased her into Liara's arms she slipped up next to her on the bed as well. Liara felt emotions she had no name for filling her as she took in her daughter's face, Del laying a soft kiss on her temple.

"She's so beautiful, Li," Shepard said. "Just like her Mama…"

* * *

Chakwas lightly knocked on the door of the suite, but no answer came. Gently easing it open, she stepped inside, her eyes going automatically to the monitor readouts on the nearby computer screen, before actually shifting to the occupants. There, she halted.

The bed had been adjusted, Liara propped up with the baby cradled to her. Shepard was on the bed with her as well- Liara's cheek resting on the top of Del's head which was resting on the asari's shoulder. Shepard had her arms protectively wrapped around both Liara and Irie.

All three were asleep.

Lifting a hand to her mouth Chakwas barely managed to stifle her sob, eyes swimming as she quietly backed out of the room and closed the door. Leaning her forehead against the cool timber of the door she suddenly felt for the briefest moment as though everything was finally right in the universe.

"Well done, Captain," she whispered. "_Well done."_


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Happy New Year everyone!

We're back, and things should be getting back into a regular, predictable schedule once again. I hope everyone's New Year was wonderful, and here's to 2013 being even better than 2012!

On with the show!

* * *

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

"Hello, Liara," the turian replied, dabbing once more at her nose and lip before lowering her hand.

"_Leave_." Liara's face and voice were both stone, her skin simmering with biotics. "You are _not_ welcome here."

Irie tried to intervene. "Mama, please, just calm down and listen-"

"I have no interest in _anything_ that she says. She nearly killed your sister-"

Athena made a helpless gesture. "That was…_unintentional_, and unfortunate, and I have _tried_ to apologize-"

"- and she nearly killed me as well!"

"Mama-"

Athena's look darkened. "_That_ was business, and if I had _wanted_ you dead, you would have been!"

Liara started forward a pace, biotics brightening again, and Irie caught hold of her arm. "Mama, _stop_-"

"You took the Brokerage away from me!"

The turian's eyes sparked. "As I recall, you did not fight that hard to keep it!"

"_**Enough!" **_

Though normally fairly soft-spoken, Irie's voice had been trained since she was small. She knew how to project, and her patience had come to an end. Ignoring Athena, Irie faced Liara, gripping her mother's shoulders.

"Mama, you _need to stop_. Athena is here because it is vitally important. She _needs_ to talk to Bába."

"Liara, I _am sorry_. I know you do not believe me, but I _never_ intended to hurt Melara," Athena said, "_or_ you. I was younger, foolish, and…_abnormal_. I am not making excuses, and I cannot apologize enough- but I owe it to you, to Mel, and to Shepard- to at _least_ look you all in the face and _try_."

"Is that what this is about, assuaging your _guilt_?" Liara asked in a low, cold voice, not bothering to even look at Athena.

"It is not about my guilt, it is about doing the right thing! Giving you all at least _some_ measure of peace-"

"Peace?" Now Liara's eyes did shift toward the turian, the sky blue still hard stone. "Shepard is dying, and you choose _now_ to give us 'peace?' She barely has the strength most days to cross the room, and you want to pull everything to the fore again, force her through all that _again_, for your deluded notion of _peace_? I have a hard time believing even _you_ could be so cruel!"

"Mama-"

"No, she is right," Athena said. "If that was all it was- if that was my entire reason for being here, I would not have come. After what happened with Melara and then you, she understandably wants my head on a platter, and I am under no delusions that she would not try to take it, even now. I know I have given you reason to believe otherwise, but I am not so heartless, Liara. I have struggled for a very long time to reconcile…who and _what_ I am. I did not always make the best choices, allowed myself to be blinded by hatred. I am _trying_ to be better than that. I am trying to do something _important,_ to give _her_ the chance to-"

"Give her the chance to do what?"

"Liara," Athena's voice lowered, her eyes utterly serious. "Your wife saved this galaxy once. I am trying to give her the chance to do it _again_."

"What do you mean? What danger is the galaxy in that your only hope is in an elderly woman at the end of her life? What is it you think that she can do?"

"I have reason to believe that Shepard has vital information stored in her mind that can help identify a threat to this galaxy even greater than any the Reapers posed," Athena said.

"_You are deluded_-"

"Liara, put your hatred of me aside for just one moment and _listen_," Athena replied hotly.

"Very well. For no other reason that Irie seems to think you need to speak your mind, and I trust her judgment. However, I refuse to hear a single word from you so long as you are wearing that face. If you expect me to listen to you, then at least have the decency to look at me honestly."

The turian blinked as if surprised, then reached for her belt. "My apologies. I put it on to avoid Shepard taking a sniper shot at me if she happened to notice when I walked by the house. I forgot that I had not switched it off."

A tiny control pad was integrated seamlessly with her belt. As she touched it, a holographic display appeared. She selected a command, her form flashing a second before the 'turian' melted away. In her place stood an asari maid-over a century, but not by much.

She was a dark purple- darker than even Melara- with white tattoos spiraling down her temples and across her cheeks. Her eyes were a striking shade of light tan, almost the same hue as the sand on which they stood.

She arched a brow at Liara, who nodded stiffly. Folding her arms, Athena turned thoughtful, brooding.

"For nearly two centuries now," she said, "some of the greatest minds in the galaxy have searched the Citadel systems for the master program that allowed the Crucible to target and fire. Two centuries of effort and advancing technology and they have not been able to yet identify this program. Without it, the Crucible is useless to any recurring threat. Ten years ago, they even reattached the Crucible to the station, do you remember? Nothing happened. The station did not power the device, no firing interface appeared on the master console…_nothing_. Without understanding why, the Crucible is just a very large, very puzzling, and completely _useless_ relic from the war. Though the experts are hesitant to say, it is plain that the master control program does not exist anymore. It appears that it was completely erased as part of the final firing process. Deleted."

"The Prothean archives at Mars have been thoroughly searched," Irie said, speaking gently. "Every relic ever found dating to the Inusannon- including several that Javik was able to lead us to from ancient caches left on inhospitable worlds by the Protheans- have been tirelessly studied, but we still do not know who it was that _built_ the Citadel, who designed the Crucible, or _why_ the Reapers were created."

"And you think that somehow _Shepard_ knows this information?" Liara asked.

"I think she might, and is not aware that she does," Athena said.

"This is preposterous-"

"The locked up portion of her memories, the part you and a dozen asari matriarchs have never been able to access- do you remember those? I know it's been at least a century since you actively tried to find out what it means, but…surely you have not _forgotten_? If nothing else, you must remember her continuous feeling for decades after the war that she had done something horrible, that she had _condemned_ trillions of lives?"

"How do you know of this?"

"Shadow Broker, remember? I _am_ good at the job, Liara. It is my belief that while the master program itself has been deleted, key information was recorded on the nanites in Shepard's brain, and I believe the process was done very much on purpose by that self-same master program. If it were a simple blocked memory, you or the matriarchs would have been able to unlock it by now. The violence with which you are thrown out of any meld that attempts to access it is telling in and of itself. Tech that would cause this to happen is decades, if not _centuries_, beyond our grasp…but _not_ out of the realm of possibility for those who created the Citadel."

"What proof do you have of this? What threat is it that you fear?"

"Proof…" Athena let out a weary laugh. "_That_ is a bit more of a touchy subject. In all honesty, I _have_ no concrete proof. Tiny bits of data, thin shards of seemingly circumstantial evidence scattered throughout the galaxy…whispers, only. Could I be wrong? Absolutely. I pray that I am, because right now my gut is telling me there is something huge on the horizon, a threat to this galaxy that dwarfs anything the Reapers ever posed to us."

"You want to put Shepard through an ordeal that may very well further shorten the already _very short_ amount of time she already has left, and you expect me to agree to such a thing based solely on your 'gut feeling?'"

Athena scowled. "And how many times did you run into battle based solely on _Shepard's_ 'gut feeling?'" she asked. "How often did you two rail against the old Council for refusing to believe you for lack of substantial proof? And now _you_ would do the same?"

Liara's biotics brightened again furiously. "Do _not_ compare me to-"

"Arguing is _not_ going to help us," Irie said, gripping her mother's hand again as she looked at Athena. "What exactly is it you propose to do?"

"Well, _hopefully_ I shall be able to extract the recorded data directly from the nanites. That would be ideal and less…invasive. _Un_fortunately the chances of my being able to do so are extremely slim. The data is obviously safe-guarded against unwanted access or tampering using tech far in advanced to what we have now. More likely I will have to pinpoint the specific nanites containing what I need, isolate them, and then physically extract them. After that I can work on retrieving their recorded data at my leisure, though it will still probably take years of intense study and careful-"

Liara shook her head, lifting her hands. "I cannot agree to this. Shepard cannot be sedated, and she is far too weak to even attempt using the Prime to allow such a procedure to take place."

Irie, too, looked troubled. "Can we not just…just _wait_?" she asked. "If the information you need is on the nanites, then they can be removed after…after she-"

"No," Athena replied, not unkindly. "The nanites rely on Shepard's metabolic and endocrine system to function. It could take up to an hour just to identify and isolate the proper nanites. If we wait until after she passes, even _if_ I can perform the procedure _immediately_, there is far too great a risk that by the time I find and retrieve the right ones, they will have started to degrade. Vital intel could be lost."

"I cannot agree to this," Liara said again.

"Liara-"

"No, I cannot agree to this. _I_ cannot. This…must be Del's decision. I will present the information to her, and I will respect whatever choice she makes. _You_, however, must agree to respect her decision if she refuses."

"She will not refuse," Athena said, actually looking relieved. "Once she knows what may be at stake, you know as well as I do that she will not refuse."

The troubled, tense expression on Liara's face betrayed her feelings as, behind her, Irie's omni-tool suddenly lit up. As the girl regarded it, her mother nodded. "You will let me present this to her myself. You are to come nowhere near the house until-"

"That may be a non-issue," Irie said, looking up from her tool's display. "She knows Athena is here. Melara just messaged me. She and Dae have already told Bába what they know."

Liara fixed her eldest with a look. "And how much do they know?"

"As much as I," Irie replied. "I was unaware of the specifics but I knew enough to conclude that Athena needed to be here, to speak to you and Bába if nothing else. She did not tell me about the nanite extraction or the possibility of the master program having encrypted information onto them. She only told me that Bába was likely to have information that might stop another threat to our galaxy."

"Then you and I will fill her in," Liara said, then glared at Athena. "_You_ will stay here until you are called for, am I clear?"

Athena nodded, spreading her hands. "I am at your command, Liara."

Turning, the older asari started back up the beach, toward the path that led to the house, with Irie following close behind. As they got out of ear-shot, Liara looked at her daughter. "Irie, I love you and I do trust you. You are nothing if not an intelligent girl, and I know that you would never put your family at risk- but I pray you are correct on this. _Trusting_ her…"

"I did not make this decision easily, Mama," Irie replied. "Certain truths remain, however. She is the Shadow Broker, and would have had no difficulty finding Bába here on her own. She has numbers at her command, incredible resources. Even alone, were she of the desire, she could easily destroy us-"

"Not so easily."

Irie smiled wearily. "You have forgotten so soon what fighting her mother was like? Eír nearly killed you and Bába on multiple occasions, and she was cinched against her biotics for most of them-"

"I have not forgotten," Liara said sharply. "However you two are your father's daughters- with every ounce of her luck and skill, and sheer stubborn will. Do not discount _my_ skills either. She would not have found us such simple prey."

"Perhaps not," Irie said. "Forgiveness must start somewhere, Mama. You taught me that. And if she is _correct_-"

"_That_ is the only reason I am agreeing to this," Liara said.

Irie reached out again, taking Liara's hand and holding it tightly as they walked.

* * *

Dae met them at the door as Irie and Liara returned to the house. "They are on the back porch," she said softly, so as not to wake little Lily, asleep in her pen. Liara said nothing, simply stepping past her and heading for the garden. Dae looked at Irie.

"Things did not go well?"

"Better than I had expected, actually," she replied. "What happened? Why did Mel tell Bába?"

"We thought she was asleep, and she overheard us talking. When she realized who we were discussing, she grabbed her rifle. Melara had to biotically restrain her from rushing out of the house to protect your mother."

"Is she all right?"

"She seems to be…at least, no worse. She has grown sullen and quiet. Go on. I will stay here and keep an eye on Lily."

Irie bent and kissed Dae's cheek in thanks, and headed out toward the garden herself to join her family.

* * *

**Past: 12 Months Post War**

The bright moonlight was casting silver slants into the dark room, broken by a tiny gold pool from the lamp as Del regarded her opponent. Hair mussed with sleep, dressed in a dark tank and yoga pants, Shepard folded her arms and tried to tactfully assess the situation.

On the changing table, little Irie kicked her feet and sucked happily on her hands.

"I'm glad you think this is funny, Nub," Del told her. "I've taken down maws. I can figure this out."

Irie burbled.

It had been two weeks since Irie had been born. Sleep was a fleeting and precious commodity, the little asari seeming to delight in her terrorist precision at remaining awake and fussy at the precise moments her parents wanted to sleep. It didn't help that Del was still incredibly intimidated and almost helpless where the baby was concerned. Despite Liara's reassurances that she was a 'natural', Del could feel every muscle in her body tense up just holding the baby, and tasks like feeding, changing, and bathing the little asari were far more terrifying than fighting banshees.

They were both completely exhausted. Tonight, Del had resolved to let Liara sleep and tackle her daughter head on.

Naked as a little blue jay, the baby was now on her changing table. Del had figured out how to remove her soiled diaper and clean her up, but putting a new one on her was like solving a complex calculus equation. It didn't help that every time she managed to get a clean diaper under her bottom, Irie celebrated by promptly peeing on it.

Del was certain the baby was doing it out of sheer malevolent delight.

Irie continued to suck on her hand as she watched Del with wide eyes. Her one small hardened crest point stuck up from the back of her head like an adorable little cowlick, the others still soft. Picking up another clean diaper, Del turned it this way and that, before carefully maneuvering it under Irie's bottom and pausing warily, waiting for the inevitable coup de tat. When Irie didn't immediately wet it, Del smiled a bit.

"Ok, next step then."

It took her a bit to realize she had the diaper upside down, and she corrected it, fussing with the fasteners before she figured them out as well. Then came the little pajamas, Irie complicating the issue yet again by kicking and waving the exact appendage Del needed to insert into the clothing.

Finally, triumphantly, she buttoned the last button, gently lifting the child into her arms. "Ha! Bába wins!"

Settling in the living room with a bottle, Del set about feeding her daughter, studying the tiny face with wonder. The child looked so much like Liara, though her coloring was starting to darken a little. Her gray-violet eyes were always wide and studious, taking in everything they could focus on as if trying to puzzle out the mysteries of the great universe she had found herself in.

"You're a little thinker, aren't you?" she whispered to the baby as she fed her. "Just like your Mama."

The baby looked at her, hands clasped around the bottle that Del held, making soft and contented sounds as she drank. Del smiled softly at her.

"I need you to do me a favor, kiddo," she said. "Try and be patient with your old Bába. I'm not like you and your Mama. I'm not smart. I'm bound to make some mistakes…_lots_ of mistakes, probably. You're going to come home from school one day, excited about how you solved multi-dimensional string-theory with some tape and a piece of bubble gum, and I'm going to pretend I have the foggiest clue of what multi-dimensional string theory _is_. Or you're going to find a chip of pottery in the yard that conclusively proves the Ancient Order of Knob-Headed Tenticular Arthropods lived here ten trillion years ago, and I'm going to have to pretend I can even tell it's a chip of pottery."

Irie's eyelids were drooping, though the intensity of her eating had not dropped off. Carefully, Del loosened her grip on the bottle enough to lightly brush a finger over the baby's soft cheek.

"One thing I can promise you though, Little Blue. I will _always_ protect you and your Mama. No matter where you go or what you do, I will _always_ be here for you. I'll always be proud of you."

Irie dozed off, the bottle nearly empty. Carefully easing it out of her mouth, Del set it aside then shifted Irie to her shoulder, leaning back in her recliner and gently patting her back. Curled up against her neck, the little asari was a warm bundle, a comfortable weight that seemed to reach right into Shepard's heart and grip it tightly.

The next morning, waking refreshed but puzzled, Liara slipped out of bed and padded into the living room to find Del asleep, kicked back in her chair. The baby was curled quite comfortably on her chest, Del's hand draped protectively over her back.

Tears lifted momentarily to her eyes as she took in the scene, as she thought of everything that had once stood in the way of this perfect possibility. How far she had come, and how far Del had come, to be this…to be a _family_.

Was this what Benezia had once felt, with Aethyta? Had she held Liara as an infant, and wondered at the amount of love she could have for another being, something so small and helpless and utterly perfect?

Everything in her life had been so unsure for so long, but in that moment- as Liara stood there watching her bondmate and her newborn daughter sleep- she knew something without a shadow of a doubt.

Irie would grow up never knowing what it was like _not_ to have a family. She would be safe, and encouraged, and blessed in ways that Del and even Liara never had been. No matter what challenges she might face, being alone in this galaxy would _never_ be one of them.

* * *

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

While the T'Soni estate had been repaired (or in the case of the east wing, rebuilt), much of the city of Sevaa and the rest of Thessia as a whole, was still trying to recover. One of the worlds hardest hit, it would take decades more, if not as much as a century, before the final signs of the Reaper invasion were finally erased forever. Whole sections of Sevaa were still quarantined and considered unsafe, and at times it seemed more turian, salarian, or krogan faces could be seen in the streets than asari.

A solar bike, roaring like an old gas Harley, turned up the drive leading up to the estate. The rumble of the engine startled a small flock of birds, who rose in a pale green cloud from one of the nearby elahs trees.

Drawing the bike to a halt a dozen yards from the front door, Del Shepard switched the engine off and dismounted, adjusting the battered pack on her shoulders and tapping her ear piece. The holographic displays hovering in front of her eyes flared and vanished.

For a moment, she looked up at the estate. They had been there eight years now, yet oddly enough it still didn't feel quite like home. To her, home would always be their little house on Virmire…listening to the sound of the ocean waves, smelling the salt air on a light breeze, and watching the sunset turn the polished stones into rainbows of light.

For now, Thessia was a necessity. Liara loved their home on Virmire as much as Del did, but her urge to help her people in their recovery was greater…and she could only do so much as a distant Shadow Broker. Here, she could get directly involved.

It was better for the girls, as well. Beaty was great, but it was a human colony. Liara, Irie, and Mel were the only asari on all of Virmire, which put limitations on schooling- especially where biotics were concerned. There were very few human children there their age to play with as well, and beyond occasional visits by Navis and little Daenys, the girls had never even seen another asari face outside their family.

Here, there were plenty of kids their age to play with- and not just asari.

Nan had remained behind on Virmire. She had moved out to a home in Beaty shortly after Irie was born, wanting to remain close but give Del and Liara time and space to enjoy their small family. Now she was living in their home there, to keep it maintained while they were on Thessia. She came for occasional visits, usually overflowing with presents. The girls adored her.

Though it was not Virmire, Del was glad to be home…and a little trepidatious. She had been gone for two weeks and she had missed Liara and the kids with a surprising intensity, but even so, she was hesitant to go in and greet her wife.

Taking a deep breath, she started toward the front door, crossing barely a yard before something slapped with force into her chest. A single heartbeat later, she heard the unmistakable pop of a rifle.

She grimaced in pain, stumbling back a step as her hand gripped the front of her jacket. She dropped to her knees, tendrils of crimson threading through her fingers before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the dirt.

* * *

Rifle up, the shooter edged around a hedge, crosshairs fixed on the unmoving woman lying limp in the dirt. Boots paced with cautious precision toward the prone Shepard, stopping a few feet away. Slowly, the rifle lowered, a head cocking to the side before eyes rolled.

"You're _such_ a ham, Bába."

Del didn't open her eyes, though a grin appeared on her face. "Can't talk," she said. "Dead."

"Uh huh."

Laughing, Del pushed herself into a sit, then arched a brow, trying to look disapproving as she displayed her crimson-streaked hand. "_Paint_, Mel? What happened to that light rifle I gave you for your birthday?"

"It's in the shed. Paint is more visceral."

"Oh, _visceral_. Great, I'm raising a little psychopath."

"Best in the business," Mel grinned. Shepard laughed again, getting to her feet and hooking the girl around the back of the neck, hauling her in for a hug.

"C'mere you!"

"_Ah_! You're getting paint on my shirt!" The nine year old wriggled, trying to break free, but Del held her firmly.

"That's what you get for getting paint on my _jacket_," she replied. "And you _know_ you're not supposed to shoot that thing at someone who isn't wearing eye protection."

"I'm a good enough aim!" Mel said, finally pulling away.

"Yes you are, but rules are rules, Mel. No rifle for a week-"

"Bába!"

Shepard held out her hand with a stern look. "_Now_. Or it's _two_ weeks."

Mel glowered, her expression an almost exact mirror of Del's, before she sighed and handed the rifle over. Shepard nodded, then shifted her pack off her back and held out an arm. "All right then, c'mon."

Never one to pass up a back-ride, Melara swung herself up, winding her arms around Del's shoulders, before kissing her on the cheek. "I did miss you, Bába."

"You did?"

"Until you took my rifle away."

"Oh is that so?" Shepard chuckled as she headed toward the house. "I missed you too, kiddo. Where's Mama and Irie?"

"Mama's in her office," Melara told her. Shepard could almost hear the eye-roll as she added, "and Irie is upstairs..._studying_ again."

Shepard gasped. "_Bu_! That's _horrible_! I say we should hang her up by her heels and flog her!"

"I think that is the _best_ idea you have ever had, Bába."


	9. Chapter 9

**Past Continued: 15 Years Post War**

* * *

As she stepped into the foyer of the grand house, she heard rushing footsteps- more than a single pair. Swinging Mel off her back, Del watched as Irie and Daenys appeared at the top of the staircase and came barreling down.

Daenys was only a few weeks older than Irie, and the two had become fast friends when Liara and Del's small family had moved to Thessia. It still gave Shepard a faint twinge of grief to look at her, to remember Sydney had never even gotten a chance to hold her daughter. She knew without a doubt her late best friend would have adored everything about Daenys.

Though graceful and soft-spoken like her mother, Dae not only had Syd's amber eyes but her cocky, smart-ass sense of humor. Dae seemed to bridge the odd gap between Irie and Mel: she was as intellectual, fashionable, and elegant as Irie was, yet was unafraid to handle a gun or go shoving stubbornly into the middle of any crises like Mel did.

Irie hit the bottom of the staircase first, rushing up and flinging her arms around Shepard happily. Del hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek. "Hey, there's my beautiful little Nub."

"Bába, I am _so_ happy you made it home on time!"

"Course I did! I wouldn't miss tonight for all the credits in the galaxy!" As she loosened her hold on her eldest, Del looked at her with wonder. "I swear you've grown a foot since I last saw you."

"Bába, you know that is impossible," Irie smiled. "You were only gone two weeks. My height has only increased by .33 centimeters."

"Well, feels like years and looks like feete. Your Mama still up in her office?"

"Yes, she is speaking with Aunt Navis."

"Is she in a good mood?"

Irie eyed her father. "She is in a perfectly equitable mood…for now. Why? What did you do?"

"What makes you think I did anything?"

Mel wasn't taken in either, folding her arms with a huff. "Because the only time you ask if Mama's in a good mood is when you've done something that's gonna put her in a _bad_ one," she said.

"That is patently not true," she replied, picking up her pack where she'd dropped it. "Come on then. I've got presents. Let's go say hello to your Mama."

As they started toward the stairs, Mel was more visibly eager at the idea of presents than Irie seemed to be. Del knew her eldest well enough to know that she was excited as well, but determined to remain poised and calm about the matter.

_In such a hurry to grow up_, Del thought sadly. _Doesn't she know she's already growing up way too fast?_

They reached the office, the door standing open. Liara was facing her consoles, with Navis leaning nearby. As Del and the kids strode in, Liara straightened and smiled.

"I thought that was your engine," she said, striding over as Shepard passed her pack to Mel and held her arms out. The two embraced, Del clinging to her tightly a moment, just taking in her scent.

"I missed you," she said.

"I missed you too," Liara replied. Drawing back a little, she lightly cupped Del's face, before the sound of a zipper reached them. Turning around, Shepard snatched the pack back out of Mel's hands.

"Hey! No peeking, you little pest!"

"Aww, _B__á__ba_!"

"You'll get your present when I give it to you, soldier. Buck up and be patient."

"That may not be for some time," Liara said, giving Mel a meaningful look…one that almost immediately made the girl shrink back.

"Why's that?" Del asked. "Mel?"

"She had probably hoped that I had forgotten," Liara said. "Melara, tell your father what happened last week."

Melara looked sullen, scuffing her foot as she looked between her parents. At her silence, Liara folded her arms. "Do you want to tell her or do you want _me_ to tell her?"

Mel scowled, then mumbled under her breath.

"Speak up, Mel," Del said sternly. Melara cleared her throat, her posture stiffening as she lifted her head a bit.

"I got into a fight, ma'am," she said.

"A fight? With who?"

"Dundrin Guff," she replied.

"_Guff_? You got into a fight with a _krogan_ boy?"

"Yes ma'am," she said, and shuffled again. "He said I was a liar."

Liara looked at her bondmate. "When the teacher called her name in class, Mel asked the teacher to no longer call her Melara T'Soni…that she had made a decision and would much rather be called Melara Shepard."

Del was flabbergasted. Both girls, following asari tradition, had been registered under the name T'Soni. Neither had ever shown any indications that they wanted to be called anything different. Secretly, Del had been a bit relieved. As it was, T'Soni was still a rather famous name, but compared to the name Shepard-…well. It would earn a lot of attention…and not all of it _good_.

"You want to be Melara Shepard?" Del asked. Melara bobbed her head self-consciously.

"Yes, ma'am."

"We need to talk about that, Melara, but not right now. What happened with Guff?"

"When I told the teacher that, he laughed and said I was a liar," she replied. "He said that I was a T'Soni, and that Shepard was a great hero and that I was just stealing your name to get attention."

"It does not seem as though Guff actually _knew_ Melara is your daughter," Liara said. "He thought she was making it up to become important."

"So I hit him. Right in the throat," Melara said. Del lifted her brows.

"The throat?"

"Yeah. I remembered what you said about krogan. Eyes or throat…everywhere else will break your hand. So I hit him in the throat and when he bent over I hit him in the eye. He never even got to swing at me."

"_Really_? That's pretty impress-"

"_Del!"_

"-…I mean, you shouldn't have hit him, Melara."

"He called me a liar!"

"_Are_ you a liar?" Del asked.

"No!"

"Then what does it matter if he called you one?"

"But Bába-"

"Your Mama is right, Mel. The present will wait. Right now I want you to go and sit in your room and wait for me. I'm going to come talk to you in a little while and we're going to discuss just when we do and do _not_ hit people, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," she said softly, a sullen pout appearing before she turned and walked out of the room. Del wiped a hand over her face with a sigh.

"Come along, you two," Navis said, walking over and ushering Irie and Dae toward the door. "Let us get started on lunch, give them a chance to talk."

As the other three left, softly closing the door, Shepard shook her head. "She's too much like me, Li."

Liara stepped in close, winding her arms around Del's waist. "She is a _child_, my love. Children do silly things now and again. It is not like she gets into fights constantly…this is her first one."

"Yeah, but it only has to start with one," Del told her. "I don't want her to grow up to be me, Liara. I don't want her hitting every problem to make it go away. I don't want her to have that kind of…of _anger._"

"Del, stop…" Liara said gently, looking into her eyes. "Melara has a wonderful life, a wonderful family and a _wonderful_ Bába. Some level of anger is normal, and healthy. I am not saying it is appropriate for her to be fighting, but it _is_ understandable. She absolutely adores you. To be honest, from the time she was walking I was wondering how long it would take for her to request _your_ surname."

"I don't know how I feel about that," Del said. "I don't want her getting that kind of attention. It might make her a target-"

"I share those fears, but it is her decision." She inclined her head a little as Del looked broodingly toward the door. "You say you do not want her to grow up to be you…and yet she is. I do not mean the recklessness, or anger, or the stubbornness- though she _is_ stubborn. I mean the compassion, the strength, the determination to do what is right regardless of what others around you think. She is all the _best_ of you, Shepard. It is wonderful to see. She would do _anything_ to make you proud of her."

"I _am_ proud of her."

Liara smiled softly, then leaned in and gently kissed her. "Go, speak to her. Presents can wait."

"Ok…but then I need to speak to _you_," Del said.

"I will be here. We have some hours before we need to be at the amphitheater. There is time."

They kissed again, intense but brief. Del held her tight a moment afterward. "I missed you, Tianlán."

"I missed you too," Liara whispered, kissing her cheek before stepping back. "Go on. Talk to your daughter. I will be here."

* * *

Mel sat at the foot of her bed, sullen and quiet. Del knocked lightly as she stepped in, a small box in her hands. Going over she sat down beside her child, setting the box aside before putting her arm around Mel's shoulders. After a brief moment of hesitation, Melara leaned against her with a sniffle.

"I'm sorry, Bába. I shouldn't have hit Guff."

"No, you shouldn't have. Words only hurt if you let them, little one. You know the truth, and nothing _anyone_ says can change that. Remember. It's only ok to hit or to shoot if it's necessary to protect someone's liberty or life. Holding a gun or lifting a fist, using your biotics- those are _serious_ powers, Mel. You need to be respectful of those powers, and what they can do. They are a _last_ resort, not a first one."

"Irie would know that," Melara whispered. Del frowned.

"What does that mean?"

The nine year old sniffled. "Irie's smarter than me. I know that-"

"_Hey_! Kiddo, you look at me." She cupped Mel's chin, lifting her head. "I don't want to hear that nonsense. Irie is Irie, and you are you. Irie is _not_ smarter than you."

"She is. She got all those astrophysics awards before she was even my age. She's in the top of her class-"

"Is a fish smarter than a bird?" Del asked. Mel blinked at her.

"What?"

"If you take a fish and throw it into the air, does it fly?"

"No, it'd just kind of fall and then wiggle on the ground."

"Why?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Because it's a fish. They don't fly."

"Exactly. The same if you took the bird and threw it in a lake. The bird would drown, but the fish would be fine. Does that make the fish smarter than the bird, or the bird smarter than the fish? No. It just makes them different. Just like you and Irie are different. She likes astrophysics and science and biology and music. That is her being a bird in a tree. You like wrestling and target practice and boxing and zee-gee ball and camping. You know how to string a bow and find the proper berries to eat in the wild- does Irie know how to do that?"

"No."

"That's because that is _you_, being a fish in a lake. You _are_ smart, Mel. You are incredibly clever, far smarter than _I_ could ever hope to be. Smart enough to remember that if you hit a krogan, you aim for the soft spots."

Mel sniffled and wiped her face, and Del smiled conspiratorially. "I bet he dropped like a wet sack."

Mel giggled. "Yeah. He kind of just flopped on the ground."

Del grinned. "That's my girl. And if I know anything about krogan- which I _do_-you probably just made a best friend for life."

Giving her child a gentle squeeze, she reached over and picked up the box, handing it to her. "This is your present, Melara. Straight from Earth, as I promised."

Mel turned it over in her hands, uncertain. "Mama said-"

"I know. It's our secret. Go on."

Opening the box, Mel reached in and pulled out a chain. Hanging from it were a pair of Alliance dog-tags. Her eyes went huge as she looked them over. "These are-"

"Real, and all yours. I talked to Fleet Master Hackett. I still need to speak to your Mama about it but as far as the Alliance is concerned, if you want to join the Junior Academy next year, they are more than happy to have you."

Melara gave out a squeal, flinging her arms around Del's neck and hugging her tight. "I _love_ you, Bába!"

Del hugged her back, closing her eyes with a smile.

"I love you too, you little pest," she said. "I love you too."

* * *

"You are serious?" Liara asked, staring at her bondmate as she slowly sat down on a nearby chair.

"Yeah, I'm serious," Del replied. "C'mon, Li…you of all people know how restless I've been."

"I know, and…I suppose I always knew this day was coming. I just…perhaps I hoped it would not be so soon."

Del moved over, crouching in front of Liara and taking her hands. "I know it's not fair of me to ask it of you, Liara. If you say the word, I'll send him a message right now and tell him no."

"And that would be fair to _you_?" Liara asked. "This is part of who you are, Shepard. This is part of why I fell in love with you."

"I know, but you and the girls are the most important things in my life. More important than even this. I can live without this- I can't live without _you_. The girls have friends here, a home. I can't uproot them from that just on my whim."

"You are hardly doing this out of a whim, Del. I know you have been thinking this over for some time. Part of me even knew that was the true reason Hackett asked you back to Earth. I…what would it involve?"

"No ship," Del promised. "I wouldn't be running all over the galaxy, throwing myself into combat. He wants me to head up the N7 training program. It would include occasional off-world training missions but nothing like it was on the _Normandy_. I would be home most every night, have days off to be with you and the girls."

"But we must move to Earth…"

"The N7 training headquarters are in Sao Paolo," Shepard nodded. "We would have to move to Earth."

Liara's eyes turned distant, contemplative, and Del squeezed her hands. "I mean it, Tianlán. You say the word and I'll turn him down."

Liara looked at her, then gently stroked her fingers over Del's scarred cheek. "I love you, Shepard. You are a Marine, through and through…it is what you were born for, what you will _always_ be. You and I both knew when we married that you would not stay out of it forever. I can move my base of operations easily enough, but…we must discuss this with the girls. It means leaving school, their friends-..."

"I know," Shepard said, then wiped a finger over her lips. "The girls were another thing we need to discuss- well, not so much Irie, as Melara."

"Oh?"

"You know how badly she wants to be in the Alliance," she said. "Hackett gave her permission to join the Junior Academy next year if she wanted to do so. It's an amazing opportunity for her, Liara. Despite the war, the Alliance itself remains a human organization. This is a big deal. Mel would be among the first allowed into any Alliance program like this."

"_Among_ the first?"

"Well, you know Earth has been quite liberal about allowing non-human species to live and work dirt side. With the Citadel in orbit Earth is becoming a lot more diverse. Kids are being born there, knowing no other home- _krogan_ kids, turian, asari…Earth is their home now as much as it is any human born there. More and more interest has been coming up for those kids to join the Alliance, and this year the doors are opening. Mel would be going to the Junior Academy along with two other asari and a turian boy."

Liara looked unsure. Del regarded her gently. "It's what she _wants_, Li. Ever since she heard the stories-"

"Must I stand and watch a child of mine throw herself into danger, the way I had to stand and watch you do so?" Liara asked. Del lowered her head.

"I know, Blue…I _do_. Part of me wants to keep her away from anything even remotely resembling the military, _whatever_ the flag. You know as well as I do though, that it's _not_ going to stop her. She'll just wait until she's old enough and then become a commando, or a huntress, or a merc...and resent us for not supporting her dreams. I'd _much_ rather have her in the Alliance than wearing an _Eclipse_ uniform, and it's where she wants to be."

"I know," Liara said softly. "But…surely she is too young yet, even as humans measure things?"

"The Junior Academy is a military school," Del said. "Ten is the age they first allow new students. It wasn't around when I was her age…not that it would have much mattered. They teach regular academics there as well as some military prep. They even have biotics instructors. And it's in Sao Paolo too, so she won't have to be boarded for weeks at a time…she can still come home every night, sleep in her own bed."

Liara rose from the chair, stepping past Del as the human woman straightened, and walking over to her window. She hugged herself lightly as she thought. "We must discuss this with them. We make no decisions save as a family."

"Of course," Shepard said, stepping up behind her and winding her in her arms. "Of course."

"We shall discuss it tomorrow. Tonight is for Irie."

"Deal," Del said, then kissed the side of her neck before smiling coyly. "At least, until we get back home and get into bed."

Liara sighed a little, smiling in return. "You are insatiable, my love."

"Exactly, _and_ it's been two whole weeks. Too much longer and I'll wither and die."

Liara chuckled, turning to face her as she slid her arms around her shoulders. "Well now. We cannot have that, can we?"

* * *

Irie had learned to sing before she'd learned to speak.

It seemed almost the moment she could make constant, voluntary vocalizations, the little asari was endlessly humming to herself as she played or picked at food that she particularly liked. Whenever Del heard it, she was reminded of that day back on Earth, when Irie had been conceived. She hadn't been aware of what was going on at the time, but she did remember standing on that vast field of stars and hearing the incredible, endless music.

As the little girl slowly grew older, Del used to play her guitar for her. Irie would often come over and lay her head on the flank of the instrument, listening to the vibrations as Del plucked the strings and usually humming along with them or patting her hand in time on the polished wood.

When they'd first come to Thessia, one of the first things Liara had done was find a voice coach for her, to help her further develop her talent. Irie loved every moment of it- she was never happier than she was when she was singing.

Now fourteen years of age, she had more than grown into her talent. Sitting with Liara and Mel in the darkened amphitheater, Shepard watched and listened as her older daughter sang one of the old asari victories, hand over her mouth and dark eyes glistening, rapt.

It wasn't just the beauty of the music or her singing voice. It was the way she all but glowed standing there, radiating a light and love that seemed to embrace every listener personally. Her joy and energy was unmistakable.

When the song ended and the audience fell into applause, Del surreptitiously wiped her eyes and stood with the rest of them, clapping and whistling as she cheered her Little Blue.

* * *

Irie's cheeks were flushed with delight as she ran backstage again, every cell of her being seeming to react to the sheer energy of the audience. Her voice teacher was waiting for her, heaping praise and only expanding her grin, before she shooed the girl off to the changing room. There were four others that still had to do their recitals before the show would be over.

Her heart still pounding, basking in the joy she had felt, she ran down the darkened hall to the lit changing rooms. Her hand had just fallen to the door release when someone behind her cleared their throat.

Looking around, she saw an unfamiliar asari approaching her. "Are you Irie T'Soni?" she asked.

"Yes," Irie replied, frowning a little. Maybe this was a parent of one of the other singers? She thought she had met most of the others' families. "Who are you?"

"You must come with me," the stranger said, glancing back in the shadows a moment before taking Irie's arm. Immediately the girl twisted out of her grip and drew back against the door.

"What? Do not touch me! Who are you? What do you want?"

"Irie, there is no time. You are in great danger right now, I need to get you outside-"

Alarm filled her chest, her heart racing again. "D-_Danger_? What danger-?"

"Listen! There is _no time_. They'll try and be discreet with all the witnesses around, and I cannot risk using my biotics in here. We _must_ go outside!"

"I am not going _anywhere_ with you! I do not even know who you are! My Bába-"

"-is Captain Delilah Shepard, I know. Your Mama is Liara T'Soni, who _also_ happens to be my sister."

"Wh-what? You-"

"Irie, I am your Aunt Eír. Please, you _must_ trust me."


	10. Chapter 10

**Past Continued: 15 Years Post War**

Irie was frightened, but being the child of Del Shepard and Liara T'Soni, fear had never meant helplessness, or inaction.

She knew who Eír was. Her parents had never lied to her about anything. If it had ever been their intention to, it would have been all but impossible anyway. Even before they were old enough to use the extranet, they had an extended family of Shepard's former crew to fill their heads with tales.

Uncle Grunt and Aunt Jack both loved to tell stories about the war, each more far-fetched and fantastic than the last. Grunt's favorite to tell was the time that Del and Liara had taken on a thresher maw on foot…or had it been three? Irie remembered there was one that involved a Reaper, and one that had to do with some kind of trap- or was it for some kind of krogan Rite? She didn't know what parts of those stories were actually true and what were fancy, but she _did_ know about her aunt Eír. Bába refused to talk about her at all, but Mama would speak on her now and again. She seemed so sad when she did, and she never talked of her for long.

Now, standing next to the closed dressing room in the back of the recital hall- on what should have been one of the best evenings of her life- Irie found herself stuck between her dangerous aunt and the wall. Even were she to scream, she would not be heard- Minestra had started her aria, and Minestra was _loud_.

"Wh-what danger?" she asked again, trying to stay calm. The calmer she stayed, the better her chance at getting away if an opportunity presented itself. "My parents are in the audience. If there is some kind of danger we should-"

"There is no _time_, Irie! I need to get you outside, right-"

A portion of the wall beside Irie's head shattered out in a puff of broken wood. Irie saw the flash in the darkness of the backstage shadows, from somewhere about thirty feet away. The following pop that reached her ears a heartbeat later was unmistakable- she'd heard enough guns fired in her life to know the sound instantly.

Instinctively she ducked, flaring blue as she threw up a shaky barrier. Eír did the same, turning toward the gunman as a sphere of biotics formed between the shadows and the girl.

The moment Eír turned, Irie ran.

More gunfire blossomed from the dark, bullets flaring against the barrier. On stage, Minestra's song drew to a wavering and confused halt, the sounds reaching past the backstage area.

Blocked from a quick escape onto the stage and into the audience, Irie pelted into the darkness to her left, where the emergency exit was down a small flight of stairs. Instead of rushing out the door, unsure if someone was lying in wait just beyond, she instead grabbed a short ladder nearby and started scaling it upwards toward the stage rigging. Something behind her crashed, the entire stage rumbling. Her foot slipped and she hung on tightly until she regained her footing, continuing upward.

* * *

Masked by both music and distance, the first faint pop was all but impossible to hear for those lingering out in the audience, easily dismissed by even those backstage as a dropped prop or box of some kind. Seated between her wife and daughter- Dae beside Mel and Navis on the far end- Shepard was unfocused, lost in the music. Her hand was loosely twined in Liara's. To her right, bored by the recital, Mel and Dae were whispering softly to each other.

At that first soft pop, however, Del abruptly straightened, her grip tightening on Liara's hand. Her attention drawn by the motion, Liara looked at her love.

"What is it?"

"I thought I heard a-"

More pops, louder and sharper. A few muffled cries of surprise from backstage, and the girl singing broke off in confusion, turning around.

Liara and Shepard both surged to their feet, the human woman grasping the asari's shoulders even as she pushed past her and into the aisle. "Stay here!"

Without waiting to see if she was obeyed, Del ran down toward the stage, dodging around others in the confused crowd who were starting to leave their seats.

Shepard had been out of the Alliance now for fifteen years, but one habit she had never gotten out of was carrying at least one weapon on her person. As she ran she drew the pistol from the holster at the small of her back.

Something backstage blew, wood and cloth sailing out on a wave of dark energy. The girl who had been singing dropped to her knees with a cry of fear, shielding her head. Irie's voice coach appeared, shielding the girl and trying to usher her toward safety. She looked up at Del as Shepard reached the stage, pointing.

"M-mercs, I think…and an asari-"

"Get her out of here and get under cover," Del said, continuing on. The huge velvet curtains that had separated the fore stage from the back had been badly torn, parts still smoldering. As she flanked them, intending to edge around under cover, they suddenly whipped outward, the rumble of gunfire punctuating the bullets as they tore through the velvet just overhead. Del ducked back, then blinked as a sheen of blue fell down between her and the curtains.

She couldn't say she was really surprised that Liara had joined her.

"Melara?" Del whispered.

"Navis," Liara replied. Shepard nodded, then pointed at her eyes and gestured to the left, around the edge of the curtain. Liara nodded, and Del edged around the wall into darkness.

* * *

Another blast shook her as Irie made it to the scaffolding high above. It made everything below her light up starkly in flares of pale blue, and for a moment she could see perfectly.

The asari who had called herself Eír was the source of the dark energy, the blast sailing away from her in such a scope that the top of the swell rocked the lights hanging just below Irie's precarious perch. Beyond her, she could see armored people with guns- some tall, other's short and more animalistic. She caught the glimmer of a broad, sharp-toothed grin for a moment and as dark fell over her again, she thought frantically.

_Short, long arms and chin, lots of sharp teeth-…vorcha. The short ones must be vorcha._

There was no telling the species of the others. They could be anything from salarian to turian to human.

More gunfire, lighting up the tableau below her in a staccato of reds and yellows. Some tore through the dark curtains, casting more light into the area. Irie edged forward along the rigging. If she could get to the opposite side, she could climb down and escape.

Moving as quickly as she dared, she was nearly across when she heard the bark of a pistol follow another flare of heavy arms fire. Twisting a little, she squinted downward, eyes widening as she spotted her parents.

"Báb-_aaah_!"

Her call broke off in a cry of surprise as arms suddenly lunged around her waist. Hot breath that smelled of rotted meat washed over her cheek, a smear of something damp running along her chin.

"We has you now!"

The voice was high and gravelly and thoroughly repulsive. Instinctively she tried to tear free with her biotics, but the sudden rush of dark energy only lost her captor his tenuous grip on the rigging. He clung to her as he fell back, his claws digging painfully into her upper arm. Before she could stop herself, they were both falling.

She managed to soften her impact with the ground, avoiding injury. She could not tell where she was in the dark chaos, only that the vorcha was still nearby. As she scrambled to get to her feet, she felt his grip again, catching her about the ankle as he snarled. His tug pulled her back down to her hands and knees.

Twisting, she threw a punch, her small fist cracking hard enough into the side of its grinning face to jar it a bit. Tearing her leg free, she kicked him hard in the teeth, then scrambled up again.

Disoriented, she ran, crying out as the ground suddenly vanished beneath her feet. Hard wood came up under her knees and she fell forward awkwardly, crumpling to the ground at the base of the stairwell she'd inadvertently darted into.

"_Irie!"_

Her mother's voice rang out from the other side of the stage area. Pushing herself up, cradling her aching arm, the fourteen year old called out.

"Mama!"

Cool air washed over her as the door at her back fell open. Hands like steel grabbed hold of her, pulling her through it.

* * *

Shepard, her face lit up in the flare from her pistol, stalked grimly forward as her bullets punched through the vorcha's armor. It collapsed, flailing in its dying throes. She planted a bullet in its brain, stepping over it as another pair of mercs fired on her from the left, the shots hissing past like mad mosquitos.

As she turned her weapon toward them, a great tidal wave of biotics rose up behind them, catching them up as it rocketed toward her, hitting her with enough force to knock her air out, and send her flying off her feet. She slammed into a wall and then dropped to the ground, ears ringing. The limp, heavy body of one of the mercs dropped on top of her, and she shoved him off. She'd lost her pistol when she'd gotten hit, and almost unconsciously she snatched hold of the merc's rifle, pulling it free as she got to her feet.

"_Irie!"_

Liara's voice, some yards away to her left, all but stopped her heart. She momentarily saw the shadowed form of what looked like an asari rush past, and lifted her rifle to aim at her.

"Mama!"

A bang of a door, her daughter's startled squeal.

Shepard began to run.

* * *

Irie had been lifted off her feet by someone much larger than she was. It felt like her back was being pressed against a steel wall, the curve of her captor's armor cutting in to her shoulder blades.

The merc had his or her arm around Irie's waist, holding her off her feet. The cold metal pressed to her head could only be the muzzle of a gun. It felt impossibly huge.

"Try and use your biotics and I'll air you out," said her captor, his voice grating and masculine.

"No you won't," she said breathlessly.

"Won't I?"

"N-No, you did this because you want me alive, not dead-"

"Shut up!"

He gave her ribs a sharp squeeze, hard enough to be painful.

They were still retreating from the backstage door, moving across the grass of the cultivated garden that surrounded the amphitheater. In the distance she could still hear the alarmed crowd, the sound of security arriving.

Then a form ran out the door, and the gun to her temple pressed in harder.

Eír slowed to a halt, but the rippling biotic flame encompassing her like a torch did not die. If anything, it flared even brighter. Her eyes were terrifyingly cold.

"Stay back, _freak_!" the merc said, continuing to move backward. Eír ignored his direction, walking steadily forward at the same pace that he was backing up. Behind her, two more forms rushed out of the backstage door. Irie couldn't see details around the glow of the biotics, but she didn't need to see them to know exactly who they were.

"You are in trouble now," she said to the merc. "Let me go, or my parents are going to-"

Eír had lifted her hand, narrowing her fingers in a strange, pinching gesture and then twisting them. Irie heard an odd click in her ear. Not recognizing it as the sound of a safety being switched with focused biotics, her entire body jolted with fear, afraid it was the trigger being pulled.

Then the mercs arm was being torn back from her, his body hauled away. Irie hit the grass on her knees, catching herself with her hands. Looking around, her jaw dropped as she saw the merc lifted into the air, struggling against the biotics holding him aloft.

When she and her sister were still small, Shepard had once introduced them to an archaic game that human children still often played when the weather grew hot. It involved filling pouches of latex with water until they were near to bursting, then tying them off.

They had spent an entire afternoon with a full arsenal of these, the entire family waging a full on water war that had left them quite drenched, laughing, and exhausted.

No part of Irie was laughing now as she watched the merc seem to swell and rupture, exploding in the containment of the biotic bubble as if he were one of those selfsame water balloons- one filled with blood.

Though most of it was contained within the biotic field, Irie felt a few warm spatters on her face. Lifting a hand, she almost gently touched one of them, then looked blankly at the crimson smears on her fingers.

A moment later, arms were descending around her, pulling her close against a familiar warmth, a familiar smell. Liara had arrived.

"_Irie_! Irie, love, are you hurt?"

* * *

"Don't _fucking_ move."

Shepard stepped between the glowing asari and her family, rifle up and her finger on the trigger. The expression on her face was one she had not worn in a very long time- one of furious murder.

The asari slowly lowered her hands, the biotics fading and then disappearing. As she turned toward Del, the look on the human's face only grew more stern.

"_Eír."_

"Hello, Shepard."

Liara had gotten to her feet, still holding Irie tightly as she did, and turning so that she was between her sister and her daughter. Her own expression was just as stern, blue static dancing around her fingers as she held one hand out in obvious threat.

"Li, get Irie out of here," Del said, not glancing at her wife.

"You cannot fight her alone-"

"I have a feeling if she was here to fight, we'd both be in the same shape as that merc. I'll be all right. You need to take care of Irie."

"She was trying to help, Mama," Irie said, her voice soft and dull against Liara's shoulder. "I think she was trying to help…"

Liara's gaze wavered in uncertainty, and she lowered her hand. Eír had left Del alive on V-Day, and had not bothered them in the fifteen years since. Though Liara was still hesitant to trust her, Shepard was right. Eír had torn that man apart with her biotics as easily as popping a soap bubble. Had she wanted to harm any of them, she could have.

Still, it was only with great reluctance and concern for her daughter that she finally withdrew, keeping an arm tightly around Irie's shoulders as she guided her toward the distant crowd.

* * *

Shepard waited until her family was at a sufficient distance, before she slowly lowered the rifle. "Should have known you'd pop up again sooner or later. What are you doing here, Eír?"

"As I recall, you asked me to watch over Liara, to keep her safe. I assumed that extended to her children, as well."

"You had to have known within weeks of V-Day that I didn't die in those chambers. Why show up _here_? Why _now_? Who the _fuck_ were those mercs, and what did they want with my _daughter?_"

"Those mercs are 'why here', and 'why now'," Eír replied. "They call themselves Orthrus."

"I've heard mention of Orthrus," Shepard said, glancing at the mutilated remains. "Liara's said the name. Some kind of infiltration group, rumored to be clandestine…parasites to other gangs."

"Yes. That is how they started…just a rumor, shadowy paranoia. I worked for Aria T'Loak for a time, after the war. It was not long before we started hearing those rumors…that members of her syndicate, her most trusted, might in fact be truly working for someone else. To say she was pissed would be an understatement. She started weeding through her own men, determined to clear out any possible traitors. In the end, I cannot say she ever actually _found_ any, but the rumors persisted…and spread. Eclipse, Blue Suns, Blood Pack. All started with the same stories…their troops being turned into double agents, working in secret for another boss. The name Orthrus began to be spread. If you do ID scans on the dead mercs, I am sure you'll find they link up to ten different merc groups, with no traceable connection to one another."

"Until _now_. What did they _want_ here, Eír?"

"They wanted Irie."

"_Why?_"

"To get to _you_, of course. I do not know their entire plan, Shepard. I am not one of them, and it was with great difficulty and almost pure happenstance that I learned enough to send me here. Whatever the agenda of this Orthrus, and whomever might lead it, I have not yet been able to discover. After this, I suspect that Liara will put a great deal of her time and energy into finding these things out. All I can tell you is that they wanted Irie, _alive_. A live hostage against the hero of the galaxy. They would view that as a smart commodity-"

"And you?"

"_I _would view it as an exceptionally _stupid_ one. I have fought you, Del. More than that, I have seen what you have wrought. I was there during V-Day. I saw the fleets, the infantry fighting through London. I was there on Tuchanka when you cured the genophage, and I saw you struggling with the last of your strength in the Council chambers. To come against you via your _family_…they would be smarter to put their guns to their own heads and get it done with."

Del stared at her a moment, then nodded slowly. "Thank you for your help, Eír. You may well have saved my daughter's life, and for that…I can never repay you."

"I have a lot to make up for, Shepard," Eír replied. "Even freed of Gellian's curse, I have…not done things that I am proud of. I considered my life over with, and what does pain or harm matter then?"

She straightened suddenly, taking a deep breath. "I will stay in contact with Liara and her network, and let her know should I discover anything else about Orthrus. I do not think that they will attempt anything like this again, at least…not _soon_."

She turned and walked away across the grass, not once glancing back.

* * *

Authorities had arrived and were picking over the mess in the back of the amphitheater, talking to witnesses. The mercs attack had not been without casualties. Two of the stagehands for the recital had been found executed- though fortunately none of the children waiting for their turn on stage had been injured.

Del found her family seated at one of the tables ringing the back of the amphitheater, a medic looking over Irie. Liara sat at her side, one arm around her daughter's shoulders. The girl's eyes and cheeks were dark and damp, and Liara was whispering softly to her.

Melara, seated nearby with Navis, spotted Del first. Launching up to her feet she ran over, flinging her arms around Shepard's neck as the woman stooped to catch and lift her. "Bába! Are you ok?"

"Shh, I'm fine, sweetheart. It's over with."

Carrying her over to the others she set her down beside Liara, gently prying her daughter's arms from around her neck, before looking in concern at Irie.

"She ok?" She asked the medic.

"She's frightened, of course. She has a few scratches on her arm and is a bit battered around, but she's not seriously hurt."

Del nodded, reaching over and touching her daughter's knee. "Hey, Nub…how are you doing?"

Irie looked at her, her stormy violet eyes holding that distant glass that spoke of shock. Del felt the fury rising in her again, a desire to bring those goddamn mercs back to life just so she could tear them apart with her bare hands for even _daring_ to breathe on her Irie…for putting that _look_ on her face.

"I am ok, Bába," she said, her voice still soft and distant. "I am tired, and want to go home."

"Yeah, sure kiddo. We're going home. Right now."

The medic looked at her hesitantly. "They may want to talk to you about what happ-"

Del's glare snapped her mouth shut. "They know where to find me if they have any questions," she said firmly. "Right now, I am taking my family _home_."

The medic immediately stammered something and retreated, but Del hardly heard her. She lifted Mel up again as Liara urged Irie to her feet. She obeyed, staying close under Liara's protective arm as they headed away from the mess.

Carrying her youngest, Shepard's eyes nevertheless searched every shadow, every face they passed. For fifteen years they had finally lived with peace.

It seemed that peace was now over.

Del was absolutely positive of one thing, however. If _anyone_ came near her children again, what she'd done to the Reapers and the Illusive Man would be child's play, compared to what she'd do to _them_.


	11. Chapter 11

**Past Continued: 15 Years Post War**

* * *

Shepard lingered in the doorway to her youngest daughter's room, watching Melara, who had finally fallen to sleep.

In many ways, the galaxy was a far different place than it had been before the war. In all but name, the former Council had been done away with. Now, the Council consisted of twelve members, each representing their species- human, turian, asari, salarian, volus, elcor, hanar, drell, krogan, quarian, rachni, geth. The only two missing were the batarians and the vorcha.

The batarians were few in number, and tended to be scattered. With the coming of the Reapers their people had been incredibly decimated, their Hegemony destroyed, and all but the most remote of their worlds rendered nearly uninhabitable. Less than a million of their number were now spread galaxy-wide, and they not only showed no interest in joining the Council- they sternly refused the offer when it was extended.

The vorcha were not a political or even truly a space-faring race. While they could use technology created by others, they had made no advancements beyond the bronze age on their own. They were capable of an astonishing amount of personal physical evolution- adapting to nearly any environment, including some extremely hostile- but evolution on a species-wide scale had halted a very long time ago. They had no interest in or aptitude for government or politics. Being fairly short lived, they bore no long term vision. Most vorcha you met today- even just a decade and a half away from the war- had no memory of it. It was before their time.

In rebuilding after the war, the spirit of cooperation that had drawn all their forces in to the fray had lingered. Humans were not expected to rebuild Earth alone. Asari were not left to heal the ravaged Thessia. Palaven wasn't remanded simply to the turians' own devices. Instead, everyone lent aid across the board, helping where help was needed, regardless of biology, history, or appearance.

That non-humans were beginning to nudge their way in to the Alliance painted a picture that was reflected all across Council space. It was no longer 'us' versus 'them'…but just _us_.

For the most part, anyway. No society was perfect. There were still mercs and slavers and those who would do anything to profit on the misery of others. Rumors were still heard of Reapers that had escaped V-Day, though the last one to be found and destroyed had fallen over nine years ago.

When she'd hear about a slaver attack on some re-establishing colony or some misery inflicted on a merchant ship by roving pirates, Del grew angry. After everything that she had fought for, such occurrences felt like a slap in the face.

That's why she'd done it, though. To save the galaxy...however screwed up it was. You couldn't save the good without saving the bad. All you could do was hope that this second chance would provide the opportunity for the bad to slowly fade away as civilization continued to mature.

This _particular_ bad, however, had struck far too close to home. Del's head spun with everything that had happened, her chest aching with the hot anger that had so characterized her, once upon a time. Her children were good, smart, and innocent. They deserved to have their chance, their life. To threaten that, to threaten Shepard's own flesh and blood…

She realized she was clenching her hand tight enough that her short nails were digging into skin, and forced herself to relax it. Softly closing Mel's door, she headed downstairs.

Irie was still awake, sitting with Liara on the sofa and sipping slowly at some hot tea. Even as she regarded her eldest gently, Del could see the knit of Liara's brows, the tension at the corners of her mouth. Her own furious retribution would not pale in comparison to Del's. Whatever drove this 'Orthrus' gang, they had made an incredibly _foolish_ mistake…one they would not live to regret.

Walking over to the sofa, Del sat down and looked earnestly at Irie. "You ok, kiddo?"

"I am just tired, Bába."

"I know you are," she said, then lightly touched her shoulder. "Hey, I want you to listen to me a moment, ok?"

Irie looked at her with that same solemn, wide-eyed gaze she'd had as an infant. Del met it seriously. "You were extremely brave tonight. You did everything exactly right. I know it seems that Eír came to help- and I'm grateful to her for that- but you didn't know that when she appeared. Doing what you did was clever, and it kept you safe."

Irie nodded slightly, looking pensive a moment before she asked, "Was that what it was like? Fighting in the war?"

"How was it like?" Liara asked cautiously.

"Hearing the bullets come…so close you can hear the hiss as they go past. Just…thinking from moment to moment, heart pounding…w-watching death…"

"It is hard to see someone die," Liara said, taking her daughter's hand and nodding. "I remember the first time I saw someone die violently. It is never an easy thing."

"But he wanted to hurt me, right? I-It's a good thing that he is dead. Should I not be happy?"

"Nub," Del spoke carefully, "He _did_ want to hurt you, it's true. Had Eír not stopped him as she did, then your mother or I would have been the one to kill him, because _neither_ of us would ever have allowed him to take you. He created that situation, sweetheart…_not_ you. I would be far more worried about you if you _were_ happy he was dead, if seeing such a thing didn't trouble you so deeply. You are good, and kind, and I pray with every ounce of my being that such things _always_ upset you. So yes…it is good that he is dead, but no…you should not be happy about it. You should feel exactly as you feel."

Irie nodded faintly, then met Del's eyes again. "But that _is_ what it was like…fighting in the war?"

"Worse," Del said softly. "At times…so much worse, Irie."

"H-How did you do it? I mean…how did you get through it?"

"Plain truth? Your Mama," Del told her. "I thought about your Mama with every bullet that went past and every soldier that fell. I knew I couldn't give up, not if I wanted to see her again. I got through it because…well, to put it simply, I didn't have a choice."

Liara had colored ever so slightly on her cheeks, her faint freckles growing a little darker. Squeezing Irie's hand she asked, "How did _you_ get through it, sweetheart?"

Irie blinked. "Me?"

"Yes," Liara said. "You survived it, you got through. I know you were frightened but you did not let that fear consume you, did not let it stop you from acting. Why?"

Irie thought a moment, then shrugged a little. "Because I knew that you and Bába would come for me. I knew that, even if he got me to whatever shuttle or ship was waiting for us, you and Bába would never give up and you would come for me. I wanted to see you again. I…even wanted to see Mel again- but please do not tell her that."

Del smiled. "My lips are sealed, Nub. And you are right. No matter what happens, I want you to _never_ doubt that, ok? Liara and I will _always_ come for you."

* * *

They finally got Irie to sleep just after midnight. Del checked the complex security systems four times before Liara found her in the study, unlocking her small, reinforced armory. As she slung her machine pistols around her hips and prepped her rifle, Liara watched her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to walk the perimeter, keep an eye on the house," Del said. "Eír is probably right in that they won't try anything again so soon, but I'll be fucked if so much as a rose frog comes hopping past our walls unknown tonight."

She paused and looked at her wife. "You should try getting some sleep."

"Del, you know well enough that neither you nor I will be getting any sleep tonight. I have already put out feelers on my network for any information regarding Orthrus and their motivations. I _will_ find out who they are and what they want."

Shepard nodded, slapping a thermal clip into place on the rifle and then slinging it over her shoulder. As she neared the door Liara straightened, then reached out and gently caught her shoulder. "I think this has made up my mind, however…about Earth. I think the sooner it happens the better. I would far rather have my children in a secure Alliance military community than here. There are far too many opportunities here for this 'Orthrus' to try again, with little risk to them. At least in Sao Paolo, they will not be able to reach the children with anything less than a full battle fleet."

"We'll discuss it in depth tomorrow," Shepard said softly, then leaned in slightly and kissed her. "I've got my omni-tool and it's linked to the house alarm. I'll be watching, ok?"

"Yes," Liara replied just as softly, watching as her bondmate strode off down the hall, before she headed to her own office.

When they'd moved to Thessia, she had repurposed Osco's old lab, thoroughly gutting and then rebuilding it into the hub of her Broker network. While the majority of the equipment remained there, however, she usually accessed it from her small office. It felt far less clinical, and truth be told…less _spooky_. Even after the renovations, she had never felt truly comfortable in the space that Osco had once occupied. It was as if the malignant ghost of the woman continued to lurk there, watching Liara with weary malfeasance whenever her back was turned.

It was all just imagination and fancy, of course. Liara believed in a spirit, a part that went on after death, but she did not believe that they lingered on in a way most would refer to as 'ghosts'.

Reaching her consoles, she immediately began her in-depth research into Orthrus. As far as she was concerned, there was not a single corner of this galaxy where they could hide. She'd overturn every single stone if she had to, and put an end to _anyone_ who threatened her family.

* * *

When Irie and Mel woke the next morning, the sun was well up. Del was in the kitchen…a sight that paused both the moment they saw her.

Turning her head from a pan, Del smiled. "Morning. Sit. Food will be along soon."

"What are you doing?" Mel asked.

"Making breakfast," Shepard replied. "What do you want?"

The younger T'Soni folded her arms and looked at her Bába dryly. "_Mama_ to make breakfast."

"Ha ha. I'll have you know I cook just fine, you little pest. I just don't do it very often."

"Yes, because the _rest_ of us know that you do _not_ 'cook just fine', and stop you from doing so," Irie said.

"Oh, from _both_ of you now? Keep up the attitude to the one handling your food, Precious. That's wise. Sit your butts down."

Despite the banter, it was clear that they were all exhausted and tense, remnants from the previous evening. That the two could still joke with her made Del feel a little better. It was a good sign.

She filled their plates, pausing as she put Irie's in front of her, letting her hand rest on her daughter's shoulder a moment before she drew back and returned to the counter. A moment later, Liara appeared in the door, kissing both young asari on the top of their heads, then lifting her brows.

"Who cooked?"

"Bába," Melara replied, poking at her food with a fork. "I'm not sure it's dead yet-"

"Hush, Pest…before I make you go hungry," Del said. At Liara's look she wiped her hands off on a towel. "You two eat up. Your Mama and I have to talk, and then we _all_ need to talk, dong ma?"

"Shi a," they said simultaneously, still unenthusiastic about actually eating. Following her wife out of the kitchen, Del said nothing until they were out of ear shot.

"You found something?"

"Yes, though not nearly as much as I would have liked," Liara told her as they entered the living room. "It seems several of my agents have heard the whispered rumors of Orthrus but, much like Aria, have been unable to verify any of them conclusively. However, one bit of information that I found immediately gave me some disquiet."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Orthrus was an obscure figure in Earth-based mythology, a monster. He was a two-headed dog. More famous is his three-headed brother…Cerberus."

"_Cerberus_," Del echoed, her look going dark.

"Yes. I do not think that is coincidence, Shepard. The remnants of Cerberus's forces-few as they were- scattered after the Battle for Earth. Some have been tracked down and incarcerated but it is impossible to tell how many might remain, or where they might be. Those who had been…_altered_… by Harper's Shiva indoctrination project, have more than one reason to remain in very good hiding. Just exposing their faces would be like lighting a beacon as to their identity, thanks to the implants and biomechanical threads."

"What's left of Cerberus would definitely have motivation against me," Del said. "We might want to bring Miranda in on this."

"I have already sent her a message, and am awaiting her response," Liara replied. "It is also possible that whoever is behind this new organization deliberately named it so, in order to create a _false_ connection with Cerberus…to mask their true trail. The link between names is obscure, but hardly impossible to make. As I said, I found it almost immediately, simply by typing the name Orthrus into the extranet search database."

"We have nothing more than this?"

"Nothing, yet…nothing verifiable or actionable, at least. I am following up on every rumor, trying to piece the matter together. Trust me, Shepard. They _cannot_ hide from me."

Enfolding her wife in a hug, Del held to her tightly. "I _do_ trust you, Tianlán. We'll find the fuckers and _erase_ them, I swear."

"If anything had happened to Irie," Liara whispered against her shoulder. "To _either_ of our babies…I do not know what I would do."

"_I_ do. We'd tear the goddamn galaxy apart and make whoever hurt them _pay_."

* * *

Irie and Mel took the news that they were moving to Earth better than Liara had expected. Melara was enthusiastic from the get-go, as it meant she could attend the Alliance's Junior Academy. Irie was a bit more hesitant about leaving her school and her friends behind, but the shake-up of the previous night prevented her from being more obstinate about it than she otherwise might have been. Reassured she could still maintain contact with her friends via the extranet, and that they would return for frequent visits, her few protests quickly died- even if they _weren't_ replaced by the same infections enthusiasm that Mel displayed.

Del called Hackett to make arrangements as Liara returned to her research into Orthrus. It didn't escape either of their children that both of their parents were now walking around the house armed, and that Del repeatedly paused to check the security system and outside cameras.

Navis came over just about noon with Dae in tow, making the three lunch before she headed up to Liara's office to help with her research. Left alone to their meal, the three young asari discussed the goings-on quietly.

"I cannot believe that you are moving because of those creeps last night," Daenys said.

"It is not because of them…not fully," Irie said. "Bába got an offer for a training position on Earth, and the Pest wants to go to the Academy there. Last night just…kind of made up their minds."

Daenys picked at her food, nodding solemnly. "It will be harder on Earth," she said. Mel looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone will know who you are."

"Everyone knows who we are _here_."

"No, or else Guff would not have thought you were lying about your name," Dae said. "A _lot_ of people here might know you, but you will be on a military base on Earth, where V-Day happened. There, _everyone_ will. You will not be able to walk ten feet without someone recognizing you or commenting about it. And it will be even harder for you, Mel. If you go by your Bába's last name…go to classes instructed by people that fought in London with her…it is going to be _every second_. They will not leave you alone."

"Well, I want to go anyway," Melara told her matter-of-factly. "I want to be in the Alliance, to be a soldier like Bába. One day I'll have my own ship and I can fight to keep other people safe."

"What about your music then, Irie?" Dae asked. Irie looked at her evenly.

"You just do not want us to go," she said.

Dae scowled, an expression that Liara or Del would have noted instantly was pure Sydney…if they had been present to see it.

"Of _course_ I do not want you to go."

"You know you will be able to see us all the time," Irie said. "It is not _that_ long a trip from here to Earth."

"Yeah, and you can still stay with us whenever your Mama is off on work," Melara said. "It will be all right."

"Maybe," Daenys said softly, poking at her food. All she could think of was that she would be losing her two best friends…friends who were as close as sisters to her. Daenys had no sisters of her own. Navis had never shown any inclination to find another bondmate. She still looked so sad when she talked about Sydney, Dae had started to wonder if she would _ever_ find another bondmate.

That made her sad as well. The idea that her mother would be alone for the rest of her life- an impossibly long time to _any_ asari, let alone a fourteen year old one-was heart wrenching for Dae. She herself had never known Sydney, outside of photos and occasional recordings or stories. Still, from what she understood, her late father would not have wanted Navis to be alone, either. Not like this.

Not _forever_.

She had been hoping to conspire with the two T'Sonis on finding a suitable mate for Navis and prodding her that direction, but those plans were dashed with the news that they were leaving.

* * *

"I have heard some of this Orthrus," the tiny digital projection of Miranda Lawson was saying. Pardoned after V-Day for her years with Cerberus, she now headed up one of the Alliance's most prestigious think-tanks, working on advancements both in genetics and in cyberbiology. "Not much…nothing concrete. You have the list of the Cerberus operatives still unaccounted for after the war?"

"Yes, I have it here. There are only twenty or so names on this list, and I have already verified four of them are deceased."

"The real number is a bit more than that, probably closer to a hundred," Miranda said. "The Illusive Man was absorbing as many people as he could into his ranks after Shepard flipped him the proverbial finger on the Collector base, and most of those records were destroyed along with Cronos. If you can get me any samples from the remains of the mercs killed last night- especially that one your sister turned into an organic slushy- I can tell you if there are any traces of genetic enhancements or Shiva's particular brand of biomechanic threading. It won't conclusively prove that Orthrus is definitely linked to Cerberus, but it would be a very strong indicator."

"Thank you, Miranda. I appreciate that. I have feelers out all across the galaxy. It is only a matter of time before we track down the truth of this matter and what their agenda entails. In the meantime, we will be relocating to Sao Paolo on Earth. We would love to see you again."

"Consider that a guarantee, Liara. It's only a short shuttle ride from here in Newport. Let me know the moment you're groundside and I'll come calling, make a day of it. For now, I've got a thousand and one things that need doing. I'll keep you informed if I find anything else."

"Thank you, Miranda. We will see you soon."


	12. Chapter 12

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

* * *

Shepard lifted her head at the sound of her wife's voice. She had dozed in the stuffed chair in the back garden, sleep stealing over her once again like a thief, with no care or concern about what was going on.

Waking these days was always a heavy struggle, seeming to almost bring with it even more exhaustion than she'd fallen to sleep with. Sometimes, sleep let go so reluctantly that she became confused. Old forgotten dreams and memories mixed up with her conscious mind until she didn't know where she was or what was happening. Was she on the _Normandy_ still? Was she in her bunk at boot? How had she gotten to this place?

This time, the confusion lasted only a minute or two. She looked at the asari standing a few feet away, regarding the old ehlas trees, unable to place who she was.

Then Liara spoke again, stepping out of the door and into the garden, and clarity snapped back into being. The asari looking at the trees was Melara, of course.

_How could I forget my own daughter?_

"You will leave us," Liara had said. Melara turned around and looked at her.

"Mama-"

"Go in the house and leave us be for now, Melara. Shepard and I have much to discuss."

"Mind your mother," Shepard said slowly, her voice still thick from the sleep that still tugged furiously on her eyelids. "Go on."

Melara nodded, the motion stiff and tense, before she walked past and went inside. Shifting, Shepard pushed herself up from her slump, leaning forward and wiping her hands over her face. She heard a chair drawing closer and Liara sat facing her, gently taking her wrists. Del lowered her hands and regarded her worried bondmate.

"How are you feeling?" Liara asked.

"Just tired, Tianlán."

Tired did not truly begin to describe what she was feeling. The day had started off well, but with the added stress of Athena being here- of everything that Melara had told her- it was swiftly becoming one of her bad days. Even _exhaustion_ was not a fitting description of how she felt. It was as if every cell of her body was weighted down with anchors, making each motion a herculean effort.

Worse was the heavy, wet weight that seemed to lie just behind her eyes…an impenetrable fog that made each thought a struggle, made focusing an impossibility. At times like this, it seemed her mind refused to actually 'wake up', at least completely. Sometimes she heard voices, at other times, she hallucinated visually. The doctor had explained this as part of her condition. Part of her mind, as elderly and strained cells became fragile or disintegrated, did in fact simply remain in a dream state, randomly sparking off memories and thoughts like a frayed electrical cord might sputter and short.

Though she had never said as much to Liara- that she was suffering from these confused hallucinatory states- she knew that her bondmate was aware. She knew the toll all of this was taking on her beautiful Tianlán, and it only made her heart ache the more.

Blessed as she was to face a death wrought of nothing more than old age, she still sometimes wished she'd gone on a bullet. Five years ago, even two…just _bang_ and done. It would have been far kinder on Liara to go in such a way, than to linger like this, slowly falling apart in front of her love's helpless eyes.

Soft, warm hands slid over hers, Liara's beautiful gaze filling her vision. "Shepard…"

"Mel told me," she said. She could feel her bondmate's spirit moving against hers, holding it up like a friend might hold up a wounded comrade. It helped to clear her mind a bit. Nowhere near enough, but it _did_ help, and it was an immense comfort. "Athena. You're not hurt?"

"No," Liara said. "She was…_civil_, though infuriating. I do not know what possessed our children to bring her here, but they seem to think that the galaxy is under a larger threat."

"Oh? What does she want?"

"According to her, she has come across hints that there may be a graver threat to this galaxy than that posed by the Reapers. She has nothing concrete, but is insistent that you may hold the answers, locked inside the nanites in your mind. She believes that your blocked memories of the Citadel master program may contain what she needs."

Shepard scowled. "And what is it she proposes to do? I'm not doing a joining with that bitch-"

"No, no joining," Liara said gently. "If the information is locked in the nanites themselves, a joining would be pointless. She wants to try and retrieve the information wirelessly. Barring that, she wants to identify and remove the nanites containing the information from your brain directly."

Del stared at her. Such a procedure would be painful. Del couldn't be sedated. Even if she could, in her present state even mild sedation would likely prove to be fatal. And without sedation, the pain alone would stress her body to the point it _also_ might prove to be fatal.

"You _know_ what she's asking."

"I do," Liara said, her voice tight. "And I hate it. I hate it with everything that is in me. All you have given for this galaxy- would fate ask for still more, even now? Would it…would it ask for your life again, on a simple thin possibility?"

She looked down, her brows set angrily but her eyes swimming in tears. "I promised I would put it before you. It is your decision, one I cannot make for you."

"How do we even know she is speaking the truth? Is all she going on a hunch?"

"She did seem as if she believed what she was saying," Liara told her reluctantly. "She does truly appear to be greatly concerned. She saw fit to remind me of our younger days, when we knew of a threat and yet others refused to listen, refused to believe."

Shepard scowled, then drew her hands back from her wife and slowly got up onto her feet. It felt as if gravity had increased by a factor of three when she did so, and Liara automatically rose with her, taking her arm to steady her.

Gently enough, Del drew away from her, walking over to the hedge that outlined the garden and looking out toward the distant sea.

Ever since V-Day, she had been haunted by the thought that she had done something terrible. Watching all the celebrations, looking at the faces of those who were laughing in joy or thanking her for what she'd done…all made her feel like a liar, garnering praise for a misdeed. A vague feeling of impending doom had pressed down upon her.

She had thought it was simply a left-over from the war, part of her PTSD making itself known in a new way. She'd fought so extremely hard for so long against a looming threat, that she couldn't let go of that, even with the threat abolished. As time passed, the feeling had lessened and then vanished altogether. Two hundred years now after the war…and nothing had happened. No mysterious doom had appeared from the unknown. No voice had come decrying her for her crimes. _Nothing_ had happened.

_Why now? In the last days…possibly the last hours of my life, __**now**__ it suddenly starts making itself known? What cruel joke is this?_

Liara was close at her side, of course, snaking a hand around her waist. It was not only for the closeness but also to steady her, to make sure her body didn't give up on her and send her collapsing.

Liara had _always_ been there to steady her.

"Athena is strong enough. If she wanted to do us harm she could have," Del said.

"I know."

"I fought, Liara. I gave everything I had to keep this galaxy safe once. I did it for you, for my crew, for the children not yet born. Now those children _are_ born, and they deserve to live their lives too. If…if there is a chance that what she said is true- that there is something equal to or even _worse_ than the Reapers on the horizon- and that the key to revealing or even stopping that threat is locked in my head…"

"Del," Liara said thickly. "It could kill you. I am already losing you. Please…do not steal away what time we might have left."

"Tianlán," Shepard said softly. Turning, she put her hands on Liara's shoulders. "I love you. More than I ever thought possible. Every day that I've known you, that has only grown. I would do _anything_ for you, for the girls."

"I know."

"I have to think of _them_. Irie, and Mel. Little Lily who can't even walk yet. The daughters you have not yet borne-"

"_What_? Shepard, without you I-"

"Li, you listen to me. You're still young. You're barely a matron. You have seven hundred years left of your life. The last thing I want is to think of you spending those alone-"

"I _cannot_ discuss this. I cannot even _entertain_ this right now," Liara said, shaking her head furiously as tears broke free, sliding down her cheeks.

Shepard nodded, lifting her hands to cup her bondmate's face, brushing the tears away. "Ok, love…ok. But you know as well as I do that if there is even a _chance_ of that kind of threat against this galaxy again, then we need to act. If I can do _anything_ to put a stop to it, I will."

Liara lowered her head with a sob, pulling Del close and burying her face against her shoulder. "I am not ready," she said thickly. "I am not ready to lose you."

Shepard just closed her eyes, and held her tight.

* * *

Little Lily had wakened bright-eyed from her nap, and was now laughing happily as her aunt held her close, spinning around and making her dizzy. When Mel spotted her parents entering the living room, however, her smile of mirth faded and she drew to a halt, holding the girl close. Almost immediately, Dae stepped up, taking Lily in her arms. "I will take her in to the study with her toys," she whispered.

As Dae left, Mel unconsciously stiffened, hands clasped behind her back. Irie rose from her spot on a nearby chair and stepped up next to her sister.

"You have discussed-" she began, but closed her mouth quickly when Liara fixed her with a look.

"I am not happy with _either_ of you two," the older asari said. "You could not even consider warning us about all of this first? Your best idea was to simply ambush us with Athena herself?"

"Irie, why didn't you bring this to us the moment she started talking with you?" Del asked.

"That is my fault, not Irie's," Melara said, clearing her throat. "I told her not to mention anything to you until today-"

"_Why_?" Shepard asked. "You want us to trust you, to trust _her_, and yet you go about it like this? It is incredibly disrespectful."

"Yes, ma'am. Honestly…we thought you would refuse-"

"Refuse? If my children had come to me honestly and explained the situation like adults, you think I would have _refused_?"

"Del," Liara said softly, squeezing her shoulder. Her interruption wasn't because she disagreed with her bondmate's sentiments, but because Shepard was getting too upset.

Del fell silent, shifting away from Liara's side and sitting down in her chair. Liara watched her carefully, before looking at her daughters. "We both know you did what you thought was best at the time…and what is done is done. We can talk over foolish choices and reasoning later. For now, the situation is as it is. The decision is made."

"Bába is-"

"Yes. I'm going through with it," Shepard said grumpily from her chair. "If she really thinks there's something in my head that could protect or even warn us about something big on the horizon, then I have to take that chance."

Irie nodded slowly. Though she schooled it very well, Del did not miss the look of pain in her eyes. She knew what the risks were, very keenly. And she knew that she had upset her parents by her decision. Eroding even the tiniest amount of trust they had in her was something she never wanted to do, let alone in these circumstances, where she would not even have the chance to earn Del's back.

She had spoken with Athena at length, about her regret over what she had done to Melara, and to Liara. Irie had always been something of a sensitive soul, and she hated to see a creature suffering, in pain. For whatever choices she'd made in the past, Athena _was_ suffering for them. That much could be seen. Athena had not disclosed the details of what she was seeking to Irie, and it was Irie's belief that she would not unless she had the chance to talk to Liara and Shepard in person. She had not even known it was a threat, at least…not a _galactic_ one. Without being able to disclose any real information to her parents, being only able to offer the fact that Athena was apologetic and needed to talk to them, her fear that Del would have adamantly refused to speak with her was well-founded.

Only by getting Athena here, face to face with Liara, was at least a hint of the real threat exposed. Enough to get Del to agree to at least talking. Shepard cared nothing about simple reconciliation with Athena, not when the new Broker had threatened the lives of her family. With Irie unable to offer anything of substance, she _would have_ refused.

_And it is better this way? This threat truly is only her intuition, a line of logic following vague evidence that may or may not even be founded. If she is mistaken- or flat out lying for other reasons- bringing her here may have just robbed both Mama and Bába what time they have left together. _

"I-I shall fetch her," she said softly, and slipped outside.

* * *

Sitting in her chair, her hand clasped tightly in Liara's and her head spinning, Del nodded off again. Vaguely she was aware of Melara and Liara speaking to each other, both emotional yet both trying their best not to argue or upset the other.

When Irie and Athena appeared at the door, Liara's hand slipped out of hers as she rose to her feet. The motion woke Shepard, and as she lifted her head and looked toward the two in the door, her dreamlike confusion could not work out who they were, nor could she make sense of her surroundings.

Mel, seeing the expression on her face, crouched at her side and touched her arm. "Bába, Irie and Athena are here now. You are at home."

Del looked at her, and her eyes seemed to clarify a bit as she relaxed. Yes. This was home.

Getting to her feet, Liara's tension palpable even in her fuzzy state, Del looked sternly toward Athena. "You touch _any_ of my family…so much as _look_ at them cross-eyed, and it will be the _last_ thing you do, do you understand me?"

"Yes," Athena said. "It is not my wish to harm anyone, Shepard. I only hope to _save_ lives-"

"That's rich, considering how many you've taken."

"It is _because_ of how many I have taken that I hope to do this. We all must make our atonements in this life, Shepard. You know that as well as I."

Melara was standing stiffly nearby, her glare at Athena notably pointed though she said nothing. Athena was studiously avoiding her gaze. Given what had happened between them, Del was proud of her daughter for even remaining in the room.

"Let's just get this over with," Shepard told her.

"I will be as quick as is possible," Athena said, then gestured at Shepard's recliner. As Del sat down and laid back, she fought the immediate urge to close her eyes and fall asleep again. Liara knelt down at her side, clasping her hand and brushing her hair back from her forehead. Del looked at her, memorizing the already well-remembered features.

Athena had brought a small bag of equipment. As she prepared, she explained everything she planned on doing. "Hopefully I can just perform a few scans- isolate the proper nanites and then just copy their information wirelessly. Unfortunately, the chances that will be successful are incredibly slim.

Liara lifted Del's hand and kissed her knuckles. "You will be all right," she said softly.

Shepard gave her a weak, lopsided grin. "Hey, you know me."

"All right, I am ready for the first scan."

Shepard focused on her wife and on staying awake, while Athena passed the scan beam carefully over her head, then made a few adjustments. Time ticked slowly past as she repeated the procedure four more times, each second that passed one with which Del struggled heartily to remain awake.

Finally, Athena shook her head. "I have isolated the nanites I need, but as I feared, I am unable to take the information wirelessly. I must remove the nanites physically."

Liara's grip on her hand instantly tightened. To one side, Mel had slipped an arm around Irie's shoulders, doing her best to look stoic. After a moment, Irie broke away from her and went over to Shepard, kneeling beside her mother. "I love you, Bába. I am sorry that-"

"Hush, Nub. No need to be upset. Everything I lived through, a little needle isn't going to take me down now."

"But-"

"Hey, you listen to me." Her eyes shifted toward Melara. "Both of you. I love you, and I am extremely proud of you. No father the galaxy over could even dream of having two such amazing, wonderful daughters."

Tears filled Irie's eyes and she leaned over, kissing Del's cheek, before she sniffled and retreated. Mel moved forward, clearing her throat roughly before she bent and pressed her lips to Shepard's forehead. "It'll be nothing, Bába. Nothing to even be concerned over. You'll be just fine."

"Course I will," Shepard said. "No sweat."

When Mel straightened again, however, Del could see the carefully schooled tears in her own eyes, before she turned and walked over to Irie, whispering softly to her in comfort.

Athena's face was unreadable as she finished her preparations, and looked at Liara and Shepard. "I have managed to cluster the nanites just at the point where the optic nerve joins with the chiasma. I will try and be as gentle as possible."

"Just get it over with," Shepard said. "Today is for my family, not for you."

Athena stiffened a little, but nodded. "I will need you to look directly ahead and whatever you do, do not turn your eyes."

The nanites had to be extracted with an old-fashioned needle and syringe. Athena quickly sterilized the area around Del's left eye, then produced the syringe. "All right. Here we go."

Moving as gently as she could without being torturous at the same time, Athena slipped the point of the needle between Del's eye and the side of the socket. Del grimaced, struggling not to blink or move her eyes as her hand clasped tighter to Liara's. With every centimeter in the needle moved, the pain grew worse. It was as if her eye was being skewered slowly with a hot poker.

She could feel her heart speeding up in reaction, her breath growing taut. She clenched her teeth, staring studiously ahead as Liara bent and whispered in her ear.

"It is almost over. Just focus on me, Del. Concentrate on me and not the pain."

The needle slipped in deeper, a sensation that felt like miles though it was only a few millimeters at best. She was panting hard now through her clenched teeth, the urge to tear her head away from the invading pain almost impossible to resist.

Yet, resist she did, trying to keep her concentration on Liara's soft murmuring and not on the white-hot agony.

"I have reached the chiasma where the nanites are clustered." Athena said. "I'm removing them now. Just a few more seconds…"

She carefully drew back the plunger on the syringe, blood and fluid swirling into the ampoule. After she'd drawn out three ccs, she nodded. "Brace yourself."

She drew the needle out with one smooth motion. As soon as it was clear of her face Del let out a gasp of relief, immediately closing her eyes. The invasive white-hot pain had dulled to a red aching throb, and she could feel gathering warmth and wet behind her eyelid that quickly broke free, spilling down her cheek.

_There, it's done,_ she thought distantly. _Now she can leave._

Her breathing and the rush of her heart had gone distant and soft. Somewhere at the end of eternity, she vaguely felt something mop against her cheek. Liara's voice in her ear was a fading echo as she called her name.

Then she was lost, and everything was silence.


	13. Chapter 13

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

* * *

Shepard had a hold of Melara's hand as they moved through the Sevaa City docks. Dressed casually, wearing her old scuffed boots and her swagman pulled down low over shaded glasses, she half-held her breath and scowled to herself as they walked. Normally, Del tried to maintain as much anonymity as she could. Once upon a time, just being in her civvies and not a uniform kept most people from recognizing her. After the war, that all had changed.

Though over a decade had passed since V-Day, Del passed her own face no fewer than twelve times as they wove through the crowded dock. Each poster or power-ad showed her in full combat armor, usually striking some dramatic pose or another. The favorite seemed to be one of her holding her rifle in the air in triumph, battered, dusty, and scorched- while the broken corpse of a Sovereign class Reaper smoldered in the distance behind her.

The images tended to show her pre-war face- the one that wasn't scarred up one side. It was more 'family friendly', Del supposed. Not that her scarring was so horrific she frightened children, but it was quite noticeable, and she'd had even grown adults suddenly blink and hesitate for a moment when they first saw it.

Anonymity at the moment was impossible, however, no matter _how_ she was dressed. A group of human marines were escorting them as they moved through the docks- protection in case Orthrus sought to try something again. She couldn't have made her identity more obvious if a neon sign that was flashing her name hovered overhead.

Mel thought it was the greatest thing in the world. Trotting along at Del's side, she stared at the marines as if they were dipped in gold, beaming a grin at every civilian face that gaped at them or pointed and waved from the sidelines. Each time a hand was lifted, she waved back enthusiastically.

Though they had experienced some of it, Mel and Irie had not been exposed to the full scope of their parents' celebrity- at least, not in person like this. The further they moved through the dock the thicker the crowds got, moved to each side of the corridor and most cheering and waving. Again, Mel waved back, slowing as she was distracted by the onlookers. Shepard's sharp tug on her hand got her moving again.

"Look at them all, Bába! Can we stop and talk to them?"

"No, hon. We're on a schedule, and it may not be safe."

Frustrated but obedient, Melara kept on, shifting the little pack on her shoulders. Most of their belongings had already been shipped off to Sao Paolo. They had only a few personal items with them for the trip to Earth.

The crowd seemed to stand fifty deep as they actually approached their dock, and half of them seemed to be pressing against the secured glass and looking outside at the ship with as much rapt awe as the ones waving toward Shepard and her family.

The marines closed in, keeping the crowd back as one went forward to open the airlock ramp. He waved the family forward. Shepard ushered Mel forward to join Liara and Irie, taking up the rear. As she walked past, the marine who'd opened the door gave her a stiff salute.

At the end of the ramp, the airlock door stood open, a familiar figure waiting for them. Del felt herself grin, taking off her glasses and noticing the smile on Liara's face as well, a moment before Mel broke away and rushed forward.

The young asari skidded to a halt in front of the figure, snapping her hand up to her brow in a salute as a serious expression came over her face. "Permission to come aboard, Captain Tepper!"

Lifting a brow with a smile, Ashley Tepper neé Williams echoed the salute. "Permission granted, Cadet."

Melara snapped her hand down, then turned to look at Del as the other three walked up. "We have permission to come aboard, Colonel!"

"Thank you, Cadet," Shepard said with a smile, before she reached out and took Ashley's hand, hauling her in for a hug. "It's good to see you again, Ash. You're looking damned dignified, I must say."

"And you're looking soft, Del. What, they don't have calisthenics on Thessia?"

"That's _Colonel Shepard_ to you, _Captain_…or so I hear."

"Not until you get the wings pinned on and get back in uniform. Until then, you're just another civvie I gotta haul around."

Shepard snorted, and Liara stepped forward, hugging Ashley tightly. "It is good to see you again. How is the family?"

"Hello, Blue. They're doing well. Lewis is five going on forty, and Nicole just turned seven. I see your two are growing like weeds. Last time I saw you, Irie, you barely reached your Mama's hip. Now look at you."

Irie colored a little, smiling bashfully. Ash smiled, then stepped aside, holding her hand out. "Welcome aboard the _Normandy_."

The moment Del stepped into the helm, Joker- who was standing near the pilot's seat- cleared his throat and then barked out, "Colonel on deck!"

The crew was lined along the walkway between the helm and the CIC. New faces, nearly all strangers. They snapped to attention, each throwing a salute in almost perfect synchronicity.

Shepard looked at Joker and he smiled at her, giving a nod. "It's good to see you again, Shepard."

"Good to see you too, Joker."

It felt strange, walking down toward the CIC again for the first time in fifteen years. Despite the new faces and a few upgrades here and there, it was her old _Normandy_, and she could feel herself settling into it like a hand into a glove.

How she had missed this! The sight, the feel of the deck and the subtle, almost non-existent hum of the idling drive core…it even smelled the same. It was like meeting again with an old, familiar friend.

Walking past the line of saluting crewmen, the others on her heels, she passed the CIC workstations and then lingered at the foot of the promontory, the galaxy map a comforting holographic swirl of light. Her hand rested lightly on the rail.

"You're welcome to do the honors, Colonel," Ashley said, seeing the look on her face. Del blinked at her, then cleared her throat slightly, shaking her head.

"She's your ship, Ash-"

"She's _your_ ship, Shepard. She always was," Ashley told her. "I just keep Joker from smacking her around too much. Please…I insist."

Shepard glanced at Liara, who smiled at her and inclined her head. Clearing her throat again, Del took off her swagman, setting it firmly on Mel's head with a smirk. Stepping up onto the promontory she placed her hands on the rail, leaning on it a moment as she regarded the map. Then she straightened, hands clasping behind her back.

"_Normandy_, this is Colonel Del Shepard. Prepare for departure from dock. Joker, put in a course for Earth, and let's see this baby _fly_."

* * *

Ashley had granted the family Liara's old quarters on the crew deck. She had tried to insist they take the Nest but Del had put her foot down. She was not displacing the captain on her own ship, regardless of that captain's wishes.

The quarters had long been retrofit after Liara had departed from the ship, and were normally assigned to the XO. Gone were the ranks of equipment and view screens tending the tangles of Liara's Brokerage. With them gone, the space seemed five times as big, and hardly like the same room at all.

On the pretense of showing her daughters the famous _Normandy_, Del wandered the ship, nostalgia washing over her so thick it could be felt by others. She still expected Garrus's face to poke around the corner of the armory- to see Chakwas look up from her desk in Medical- to see Tali fiddling with some gizmo or other down in Engineering.

But Chakwas had finally truly retired and moved to Serenity in the Indian Ocean. Tali was on Rannoch, married and with a young daughter- a daughter who would never have to look on her own world through the protective visor of an enviro-helmet. Garrus was on Palaven, still a military advisor and liaison, despite his threat to retire and live off the royalty from the vids.

So many old faces gone. So many new, unrecognizable faces in their place. At least Joker was still the pilot- he'd never let someone else fly his _Normandy_ while he still had breath left in his body, it seemed. His was not the only familiar face, however.

"Hello, Shepard."

Del had been looking at the drive core, both Melara and Irie's eyes wide as they stared at it, though both were awed for different reasons. The voice immediately turned her, and she grinned.

"EDI! I was wondering where you were."

"I am here, Shepard."

Del walked over, hugging the synthetic tightly. EDI looked bashfully pleased.

"I hear they finally got you fully integrated," Shepard said as she released her.

"Yes. Thanks to the new cyberorganic monosilicone chips, this form has been vastly upgraded, and is able to hold the entirety of my AI systems independently. I am no longer tied to the _Normandy_, though I can still remotely control its systems if necessary. A reversal from my earlier condition, where I was in the ship, and this chassis was the one being remotely manipulated. I have been officially classified with pay and the full legal rights of any member of the Alliance."

"That's fantastic, EDI! It's about goddamn time, if you ask me."

"It is because of you and Jeff that I have reached this state, Shepard. Without him, I would have remained shackled indefinitely. Without you, I would not have sought to evolve my programming according to my own set of morals and free will. I owe you much, and I am glad that you are here once again- even if it is only temporary."

"Temporary this time, but I'll be in the Alliance again, training N7 recruits. I may not have command of her but I fully plan on utilizing the _Normandy_ as often as her captain will allow."

"Knowing Ashley, I cannot imagine her ever refusing you, even if you plan to reduce the most famous frigate in Alliance space to a mere shuttle. That was a joke."

Melara, finally abandoning her awe of the warp core, noticed the new comer and came wandering over. "You're EDI!" she said. "Bába's told us all about you!"

"Bába…oh yes. Mandarin. Is Shepard teaching you Mandarin?"

"Some," Melara replied. "Also English. I'm almost fluent in English but I only know a few phrases of the Mandarin-"

"I can imagine which phrases those are," EDI said dryly, looking at Del, who coughed.

"EDI…"

"Given the frequency in which you uttered them it is a logical conclusion to-"

"EDI, I did _not_ teach my daughter how to cuss in Mandarin. I'm not totally uncouth, you know."

"Thousands of mercenaries across the universe will be surprised to learn that." EDI told her. "That was-"

"A joke, I know. Good to know _some_ things never change."

* * *

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

There was the faint drone of voices, washed of all color and smeared into a chaotic, muddy whirl. Tired. So goddamn _tired_.

The chaos carefully wheeled into stability, dark reluctantly easing away. The tired did not go, but instead sank into bones to lurk, a constant dragging weight. Blurred light greeted her as Del managed to open the mountains of her eyelids. A hint of blue. A cool hand on her cheek.

"Del…thank the Goddess."

Her wife's tearful gasp was like a splash of cold water on unexpecting skin. Almost physically, Del struggled out of the last of her slumber, forcing the confusion and pulling exhaustion away.

"Li? Li, you ok?" she asked, lifting her head a little in alarm, seeking for any sign of a wound or an enemy to be fought.

She was in her room. Her own bed. Liara was sitting beside her. Irie was hovering in the background, one hand over her mouth. Both looked like they'd been crying.

Liara immediately took hold of her, preventing her from sitting, shakily hushing her. "No, do not get up," she said with some relief. "I am fine, no one is hurt."

"Why were you crying?" Del asked, brows knit as she tried to remember how she'd even gotten to her bed. Memory came in lumpy bursts, aided by the odd dull throb in her left eye. "Athena…"

"She is gone," Irie told her. "When you…when you fainted, Mel threw her out."

Del tried to sit again, and Liara once more gently tried to stop her. Reaching up, Del softly took her hand, kissing its knuckles and shaking her head, before she tried again. Liara reluctantly allowed her to sit, shifting to hold her arm around Del's shoulders. For a moment, Del thought it was just another attempt to support her, until Liara leaned against her, pressing her face into the side of Del's neck.

"Where's Mel now?" Del asked.

"She is out with Dae. She is…quite upset. Daenys is trying to calm her down."

"Can you go make sure she's all right, Irie?"

Irie hesitated, then came forward. Leaning down, she kissed Shepard's forehead, fingers tangling in her hair a moment before she straightened. "Yes, Bába."

The moment they were alone, Liara straightened and cupped Shepard's face. "I thought I had lost you," she said softly. "Shepard, I thought I had lost you…"

"I'm still here, Tianlán," Del said softly, touching her forehead to her wife's as she held her close. "I told you, it's going to take more than a little needle to put an end to me."

"Please, do not be flippant. Whatever is hidden in those nanites, it could not be worth-"

"Li…you know better than that," Del told her gently. "We were ready to die for this galaxy once. If that information saves even one life, then it _was_ worth it."

Liara sat back, wiping her cheek and trying to school herself. "Yes. I…perhaps. I should…I should check on the girls."

As she rose, Del cast aside the blankets. "Not without me," she said, stubbornly struggling up to her feet. Liara caught hold of her, a protest that Del should keep resting dying on her lips. It would only be met with an argument, and she did not want to spend a single moment of the time they had left together arguing, even mildly.

As they walked toward the living room, Del lightly touched the corner of her left eye. She could tell, even without looking, that it was bruising. She'd probably have a rather impressive shiner by morning. It would take days to go away. The idea made her smirk, a morbid little thought passing through her mind.

_Leave it to me to end up dying with a shiner._

* * *

When Athena had drawn the needle out and Shepard had gone limp, when Liara had gasped her name fearfully, something in Mel had seemed to snap. Striding forward from Dae's side, every inch of her skin lit up furiously with biotics. She did not use them, however, her hands quite firmly grasping handfuls of cloth as she hauled Athena to her feet. For a moment, just in startled reaction, Athena had also lit up and when she did so, Irie had gasped in fear. Melara was no weakling as a biotic, but Athena shared Eír's ungodly ability. If she chose to use them, none of them could hope to halt her.

She did not. They faded almost the moment they flared as Mel shoved her toward the door with a snarled, "Get out!"

Stooping, Melara grasped the small medical case where Athena had stored the ampoule sample, snapped it closed, and flung it at her, repeating, "Get out!"

Athena caught it, holding it against her chest as she took a step backward. For a moment, Irie thought she would be foolish enough to say something. She feared that, if she did- no matter what came out of her mouth- nothing short of a full on brawl would ensue.

Instead, Athena wisely only nodded, turning on her heel and striding for the door. Not content that Athena was leaving, Mel followed after her, hurling curses at her stiff back once they'd reached the door, shouting after her into the afternoon.

As they left, Irie looked to her sobbing mother, and hurried to her side, her eyes flooding with tears. "Mama…"

"She is alive," Liara said, her voice trembling. "Please…help me to get her into the bedroom."

Dae had chased Melara to the front door. They could still hear distant shouting, and Irie prayed her baby sister would not pursue Athena all the way to her small transport…nor that she'd provoke her enough for an actual fight. Moving carefully, she and her mother used their biotics to carry Del from her chair and into the bedroom, settling her on the bed. Irie fetched some cold water and a rag, and Liara carefully cleaned the thin line of blood that had traced down from the needle puncture.

Stroking Del's hair, Liara set the rag aside then looked at Irie. "Go. Tell your sister she is still alive, before Mel does something regretful."

Irie was out of the house in a flash, pausing only to scoop up Lily, who was crying in fearful confusion over the shouting. Hushing and soothing her child even as she ran, Irie let out a hefty sigh of relief when she spotted Melara and Dae coming back up the path from the beach, apparently unharmed.

As Irie reached their side and told them about Shepard, every muscle in Mel's body seemed to uncoil, her head lowering as she covered her mouth. It was in her relief that Del still lived that finally brought tears to the young Shepard's eyes, and she struggled them back stubbornly as she straightened.

"Mama?"

"Is understandably upset. She is with her right now. I should get back to her."

"I will stay with Mel," Daenys told her. As Irie carried Lily back inside, Dae turned to Melara and drew her into a hug. Mel held to her tightly.

"I fear losing Bába will kill Mama," Melara said after a long moment.

"No," Dae said gently. "It will be hard, and she will desperately need you and your sister to help her, but Liara is far too strong for that."

As Mel loosened her hold, Dae reached up and cradled her face, not allowing her to withdraw. "Melara," she said softly. "It will be all right."

Mel was silent a moment, brooding, before she leaned forward, kissing Dae briefly and then stepping back. Walking over to the old tree on the edge of the rise, she looked toward the sea, her hand resting on the smooth patch of bark on the lower branch. They'd had a rope swing here, once. They played with it when they came back here for the rare vacation, until they'd grown too big. She could still remember clinging to that rope, listening to Del's laugh as she drew her back, then sent her sailing.

The sink and then rise of her belly, exploding into butterflies as she seemed suspended in midair for a moment, nothing below her but distant sand, nothing to halt her from utter freedom.

Then she'd swing back and Del would catch her.

Del had _always_ been there to catch her.

"Am I foolish?" She asked as Dae slid her arms around her waist, holding her tight. "I am over two hundred years old. I am an N7 Captain in the Alliance- Special Forces. I have handled firefights and infiltration, commanded men…for fuck's sake, I spent two weeks on an ice moon being hunted by a pack of rogue varren with only a knife between us! And this…_this_ is what terrifies me? This is what brings me to despair? Losing my father?"

"You are not foolish," Daenys told her. "There is nothing foolish about loving your parents, Melara. And there is nothing weak or shameful in grieving them when they pass. Did Shepard not grieve when Nancy finally passed away? She barely spoke to anyone for weeks on end, not even Liara. Was she foolish or weak because of that?"

Melara said nothing, and Dae ducked around her to look in her eyes. "You have made her proud, Mel. You are a _good_ daughter. You have never given her a single moment of regret. When she finally goes to…_whatever_ it is that awaits us after this life, she will _still_ be there loving you, covering your back, _whenever_ you need her. She will still be the Hero of the Galaxy, the Champion of the Reaper War. Her name will live longer than we will, longer than our granddaughters. Because of this, she will _never_ die."

She wrapped her love up in a hug again, holding her tight and whispering in her ear.

"She will never, _ever_ die…"


	14. Chapter 14

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

The trip to Earth from Thessia was far shorter than Del would have liked. A single night aboard the _Normandy_ did not feel like enough, however anxious she was to get her family to the safety of Sāo Paulo.

The kids had never actually been to Earth. Stepping off the _Normandy_'s ramp onto the wide open tarmac at Sāo Miguel Paulista Alliance complex, it was almost easy to believe they were right back on Thessia. The warm sunshine, the brilliant green of the trees, and the faint hint of salty humidity, though the Atlantic was forty miles away.

Even so, it was clear that Earth was still struggling to recover from the war. The sun was smeary, a faint reddish rust halo smudged around it thanks to the haze. Here, it was just that- a haze. In climes further north and south, there were areas that still held the dense and ominous cloud cover caused by the attack. Terraforming equipment had been running in full use for the last decade, working to scrub the atmosphere and help restore ecosystems that were utterly ravished. Improvements were obvious, but Mel and Irie would both be grown adults before Earth was completely healed.

That it so resembled Thessia seemed to help reassure the two young asari, making them feel more at home.

Hackett- just as unmoving and hale as he had ever been, and showing no sign the last fifteen years had aged him at all-was waiting to meet them. At his side, a young lieutenant was standing stiffly, even for an Alliance officer. Del had the amused notion that if he got any more tense he'd snap his own spine.

"Admiral Hackett," Del said with a smile, saluting. He returned it, then thrust out his hand.

"Enough of that, Shepard. Everyone on this base ought to be saluting _you_, not the other way around. It's good to see you. Trip was all right?"

"Wonderful. It was fantastic to be aboard the _Normandy_ again."

"You can be commander of her again, you just give the word," Hackett replied.

To say Del wasn't tempted would be a lie, and her faint smile was whimsical before she shook her head. "Thank you, but no. She's in good hands, and my days of cowboying up the galaxy are behind me."

"I don't know that I'll ever buy _that_," he said with a smile. "Shepard, this is Lieutenant Emilio Burke. He's the Director of Biotics at the Junior Academy. He wanted to meet Melara in person."

"Ma'am," he said with a nod as stiff as his back. Mel immediately stepped forward from Liara's side, snapping a salute.

"Cadet Melara Shepard at your service sir!"

When the lieutenant looked at Mel with a blink, Del saw his rigidness melt a bit. As he softened, she could see the joviality in his faint smile, the care in his gestures. Apparently, this image of tense protocol was not his norm.

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Cadet," he said. "We had you originally enrolled under the name T'Soni, but it is my understanding you have officially requested that to be changed to Shepard."

"Yes, sir!"

"I think that's splendid. We have two other asari just your age that are joining the Academy this year, as well. You will all be in my biotics program, and I look forward to working with you."

"You haven't worked with asari before?" Shepard asked. He looked at her, the tension almost immediately coming back.

_Oh. So it's __**me**__ that stresses him the fuck out. Fantastic._

"Not from an instructor standpoint, no, ma'am," he said. "However, I have extensive experience and my credentials are-"

"Impeccable, I'm sure, or you would not have the position that you do," she said, trying to put him at ease. "I wasn't questioning your suitability, Lieutenant, I was merely curious."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, there will be time for more of this later. I'm sure you're all tired," Hackett told them. "We've got an escort ready to show you your new home. Get settled in, get some rest. Del, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon at 1600 for a briefing and to officially reinstate your position and rank in the Alliance. You'll meet your N7 recruits on Monday at 0400 sharp."

"Melara, I will see you on Monday as well, though not nearly so early. 0700 for orientation for the semester, all right?" Burke said.

"Yes, sir!" Mel replied, beaming.

* * *

Their new house was on base. Not as large as the T'Soni estate, it was still command housing and a hell of a lot nicer than even her rank of Colonel should have afforded. There was plenty of room for the four of them and Liara's Brokerage equipment, and Irie and Mel were immediately excited about the pool in the back, barely taking the time to claim their bedrooms before they were changing clothes and rushing into the water.

Leaning on the back door, watching them as they swam and splashed each other, Del tried her best not to worry. Sāo Miguel Paulista was one of the most secure Alliance facilities on the planet. After the devastation of the Alliance's official headquarters in New York, many of the top tier programs had moved to here to Sāo Paulo. Several generals and admirals called this complex home, including Fleet Master Barrett, who had only recently announced he would retire come fall. Rumors had spread regarding who would be nominated as his successor. The media of course favored Del, and the news that she was moving from Thessia to Brazil had only enflamed those rumors exponentially. Shepard knew better. She had never and _would_ never have any interest in becoming Fleet Master. She had to get her hands dirty. Flying a desk and attending endless ceremonies and press meetings would have been nothing but a hellish prison.

Her money was on Hackett stepping up in Jack's place. He had commanded Sword Fleet in the war, after all, and even before that he was a war hero and more than respected fleet commander. He had his finger on the pulse of not only the fleets themselves but on every tier of special forces and infantry.

"Are you all right?" Liara asked, her arm sliding around Del's waist as she stepped in beside her. Shepard smiled a bit, putting her own arm around her wife's shoulders.

"Yeah," she said, then nodded toward the pool. "Just wondering who gave them permission to grow up."

"I have wondered that a time or two myself," Liara said. "Just yesterday they were both barely walking and now…it seems that by tomorrow Irie will be graduating from university with her mathematics and astrophysics degrees-"

"- and Mel will be an Admiral, commanding the Third from the deck of the _Urigato_, or the Fifth from the _Orizaba_-"

"They will find their own loves, their own mates-"

"Have adventures, wander the galaxy-"

"Irie's singing will be heard across the stars-"

"Just like Mel's cursing-" Del said with a smirk.

"-and then they will have children of their own."

"Hold on there, now. I don't remember okaying that whole 'finding mates and having children' thing."

Liara looked at her, bemused. "I am pretty sure they will do so, _regardless_ of your permission, Shepard."

Shepard scowled and cleared her throat a little. "Yeah, well…_sure_. When they're three or four hundred years old, then they can do whatever they want."

"Del," Liara smiled, lightly poking her shoulder. Shepard sighed, wiping a hand over her face.

"I know, I know. C'mon. We still have a lot of unpacking to do, and I have to…you know…clean my weapons."

Liara laughed, then turned to face her fully, holding her close. "Why do I suspect you still plan to chase off any potential suitors?"

"I don't plan to _chase_ anyone," Shepard said innocently. "If they _happen_ to bring suitors home and I just…_happen_ to be cleaning my rifles at the time, well. It's hardly _my_ fault what said suitors infer, is it?"

"I suspect you will not even need to be cleaning your rifles," Liara said. "I am sure any potential suitor will be terrified enough to know that the Hero of the Galaxy will be watching the clock to make sure her daughter is at home on time and safe. A single glare from you would probably end up requiring the poor soul to attend counseling for the rest of their life."

"Ha, ha," Del said, smiling her lopsided grin and lightly brushing the tip of her nose over Liara's. "You're lucky you're cute, T'Soni."

"I do try," Liara smiled back, then closed the distance and kissed her.

"_Ew_! Get a room!"

Melara's call from the pool prompted Del to glare her way a moment. "Keep it up, Pain!"

Laughter and splashing water were her only answer. Liara shook her head, then caught hold of Del's hand with a coy grin.

"Well, you heard the future Alliance Admiral, Colonel Shepard. Orders are orders…and there is a room waiting just down the hall..."

Shepard grinned.

* * *

The sky was dark, night not yet quite ready to release its hold. Standing at the end of a row of seven, Corporal Anne Lane held her hands clasped at the small of her back and tried her damndest not to be nervous.

They were all Corporals, the seven of them. Selected by their commanding officers for services above and beyond, or even higher ups in recognition of outstanding achievements, they had been offered the opportunity to enter N7 training and join the ranks of the most highly rated special forces group in human history. Statistically speaking, out of the seven of them, four would fail to progress above an N2 rating. Two might make it to N5, and only one would reach any higher than that, though not likely all the way to N7.

Just being accepted into the N program said everything about a soldier's talents and worth. Making it as high as even an N2 was an incredible achievement.

She didn't know any of the other candidates, but Lane was used to feeling out of place among her comrades. Standing just over five feet tall, she didn't look like a _marine_, let alone a _combat_ marine or special forces candidate. From the moment she'd set foot in boot, she'd been slapped with the nicknames. 'Tiny' was the favorite, followed by 'Shrimp' and 'Pixie'. Standing beside the much larger and far more robust candidates, she looked like no more than a kid who had dressed up as a soldier and snuck on base.

Because of her slight build and her non-threatening presence, Lane was used to having to prove herself, to prove to others that she had a right to be standing where she was, to wear the uniform and the pips on her collar. When she'd first received the invitation to enter the N7 program, she had screwed down that determination. She'd have to fight extra hard, she knew, to reach that ranking…but she _was_ going to do it. She was going to show them once and for all that she had everything _they_ had, and _more_.

That was before she found out that Delilah Shepard was going to be their trainer and commanding officer.

At first, she simply couldn't believe it…no one _else_ could, either. Shepard was a legend, _beyond_ a legend. It was well known that she had retired after the end of the war.

_Of course she __**would **__come back to the Alliance now_, Anne thought. _Of course she would come __**here**__._

Lane had been ten when the war had struck. Her father, an accountant in Copenhagen, had been killed in the initial attack. Anne could still remember looking out the window of their home, seeing the dark shadow of that horrible, monstrous machine coming down over the city. Her mother had bundled her and her little brother up and they had joined a thousand other refugees fleeing the city as it was torn down around them.

They were lucky. They managed to tack on to an Alliance convoy that was trying to evacuate as many people as they could to the countryside. They slept in tents and battered prefabs for months. Food was scarce but better than in some places. When her brother had gotten sick from fever, they'd had some medical supplies to treat him. The Alliance soldiers kept them safe, stood in a wall between them and the monsters that would come out at night.

At times, Anne could still hear the horrible screaming sounds echoing over the distances. Banshees, those ones were called. Their screams would come, and soon the sounds of guns. Sometimes they'd have to get up and move again, walk all night or ride in some beat up transport, but they were lucky.

So goddamn _lucky_.

The soldiers that kept them safe became Anne's idols. More and more she heard the name Shepard. She could hear the troops and civilian militia men talking about her now and again. Anne had heard the name before the Reapers had come, but being ten she'd paid little attention. Something about some fight on the Citadel, or dry and boring news reports picking at politics Anne knew and cared nothing about.

She cared now. Shepard, the soldiers told each other, was coming to get them. Shepard was bringing every other alien species in the whole of the galaxy and she was coming to destroy these monsters. Shepard would not let them down.

Listening to them, Anne began to believe it too. Someone had to save them. When she saw her mother helping the medics in a battered tent, treating men and women who were sick, or had been shot, or burned horribly, she clung to that desperately. _Someone_ had to save them. Someone _had_ to stop this.

Once, she had noticed several of the soldiers gathered around a battered vid screen. Creeping between them, she watched the interview between Shepard and Diana Allers. Shepard had seemed so confident, so positive.

"_Captain, one final question. If you could speak to those on Earth, both our fighting forces and regular civilians living in fear and uncertainty, what would you say?"_

Here, the image of Shepard seemed to turn and look directly at Anne, finding the young girl hidden there among the battered fighters- singling her out and fixing her eyes.

"_I would tell them to keep fighting, to not give up and never lose hope. I would tell them to hang in there, because they are __**not**__ forgotten. They __**will not be**__ forgotten. We'll be coming home for you._ _And the Reapers had better __**run**__."_

And she _had_ come. Bringing a hell of damnation and judgment behind her, Shepard had come and did the impossible. When the Reapers around Copenhagen had fallen, one of the wounded soldiers had hefted Anne up on his shoulders. People had cried and cheered and Anne screamed joyfully until her voice was hoarse.

Shepard had come. Shepard had come and she had saved them, as promised.

Anne had sworn right then and there, as ashen rain fell on her upturned face and her mother swung her brother around and laughed and cried at the same time, that when she grew up she'd be a soldier...just like Captain Shepard.

After the war, she remained glued to any word- like billions, if not trillions, across the galaxy. The tech all going dead meant they remained in silence for a long time, only rumors about what was happening to sustain them. Lane couldn't count them all. Shepard was dead. Shepard was alive. Shepard was missing. Shepard was badly hurt.

When the news that she was alive but badly wounded and uncertain to survive was verified, Anne joined thousands of others in praying for her to recover. The little ten year old's prayers were perhaps even more vehement than most. Shepard _had_ to live. Shepard had saved them all. Nothing that was good or right in the galaxy would let her die, not if _justice_ were worth anything.

Now, here Anne stood, fifteen years later. An adult if not much taller, a soldier as she had vowed to be, and about to be face to face with the legend herself.

She was utterly terrified.

Anne was brought out of her thoughts as a trio of forms emerged from the barracks nearby and headed their direction. The sergeant that had ordered them onto the field, barked at them to come to attention, and instantly all seven corporals snapped out of parade rest. Anne's heart felt like it was going to thunder right out of her chest.

That was _her_. She was right _there_.

Colonel Del Shepard was nothing but a shadow at first, striding across the grass. Then the light fell across her, brightening her face.

Her eyes seemed black and depthless. The left side of her face was mapped with pale burn scars. She was smaller than Lane had imagined, though she still towered easily seven inches over the Corporal. The scars on her face and the spreading streak of silver in her hair only seemed to punctuate the stern intimidation she wore like a coat.

The sergeant saluted, the seven corporals doing the same as she drew to a halt. His eyes fixed rigidly, the sergeant spoke.

"Colonel Del Shepard, I surrender these troops to your command."

"Command assumed, sergeant, you are dismissed."

She saluted him back quickly, and as he turned and headed away, those dark eyes moved over all gathered.

"At ease," she said, and hands snapped down again, the seven returning to parade rest. She looked at them silently a moment, before speaking.

"I am Colonel Del Shepard. I hold the standing of special forces designation N rank 7. As of this moment, you all hold the special forces designation of N rank 1. Starting from the left you will tell me your name, rank, and specialization."

"Sir! Corporal Thobis Ferai-"

"Mr. Ferai, I asked for your _proper rank_," she said firmly.

"Sir, yes, sir! N rank 1 Thobis Ferai, demolitions!"

"Sir, N rank 1 Alessandro Merin, demolitions!"

"Sir, N rank 1 Kim Singleton, infantry! Sniper class 5 infiltration!"

Down the line they went, Anne left for the last.

"Sir, N rank 1 Anne Lane, combat pilot class 2!"

Silence fell, and she could feel those dark eyes on her. She kept her own gaze studiously fixed forward, her mind racing with what Shepard could possibly be thinking.

_She's thinking I'm too small. She's thinking a combat pilot has no place in special forces. She's thinking how fast she can dismiss me out and send me right back to the _Delaware_._

Without moving her eyes she saw Shepard suddenly walk her way, and her pounding heart all but stopped. It seemed an eon passed before her new commanding officer spoke.

"You are a combat pilot?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"What are you cleared on?"

"Sir, I am cleared on the T-3 Tournament class fighter, the H17 Juango and the 1110 Hive-Class Sabre, sir!"

"The Sabre," Shepard said, and damned if she didn't sound amused. Anne's mouth felt as dry as a bone.

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Which of those fighters do you prefer, recruit?"

"Sir, I prefer the Sabre sir!"

"Why?"

"Sir, because flying her is even better than goddamn sex, sir!"

The moment the reply was out of her mouth she felt her gut cringe. _I didn't just say that…please, God, tell me I didn't just say that…_

"Do you think that was an appropriate response, recruit?"

_Oh, fuck._

"Sir, no, sir!"

"Well, Lane, I have flown the 1110 Hive-Class Sabre. In fact, I flew the prototype, and I _disagree._ I think that was an _entirely_ appropriate response."

As Shepard stepped back again, Lane felt her heart restart.

"Listen up," Shepard continued, addressing them all. "You seven are the _best_ at what you do. If you were not, you would not be standing here in front of me. You are about to go through a training and evaluation program that will make boot camp look like kindergarten. You will be exposed to the harshest circumstances, elements, and challenges that you have ever faced. You will be put through fire and _if_ you are strong enough, you will come out the other side as elite special forces marines. However, even if you are eliminated from this program, hold your heads high. There are at current over fifty million men and women in our Alliance Marine Corps. Out of that number, only _seven_ of you stand in front of me right now. Some fight their whole lives to get where you are, and they will never make it even _this_ far. You have nothing to be ashamed of, _is that clear_?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Good! Then we're going to get along _just_ fine."


	15. Chapter 15

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

With the two girls off to school- Mel to the Academy and Irie to the Mathematics Center-and Shepard on her first day with her new recruits, the house felt very nearly barren.

Even so, Liara was not technically alone. Standing in the room that had become the hub of her Brokerage, she faced the holographic representations of two other asari.

Eír paced in slow, restless loops along the length of the room. Aria T'Loak, chill as always, simply stood with her arms folded and her brow creased. Shepard and Liara were two of the few people in the galaxy Aria respected, and not in any small part to the fact that it had been the pair of them who had aided her in retaking Omega from Cerberus forces.

She was unaware that Liara was the Shadow Broker, and also of the fact that Liara could access Aria's own vast surveillance system on Omega at a whim. Were that knowledge made available to her, there was no doubt that the dynamic of their relationship would vastly change, and the respect that Aria afforded her would not be enough to prevent Omega's queen from making her displeasure quite violently known.

"So Orthrus is related to Cerberus?" Aria asked, the murderous electricity in her eyes coming through even over the holograph.

"It is a possibility. The two _are_ related as far as Old Earth Mythology is concerned, however it may also simply be a ruse meant to create a false connection."

Eír shook her head. "While I have no doubt some of Cerberus are still lurking out there, it doesn't change the fact that those of Orthrus that attacked your daughter's recital were not strictly human. There were vorcha, a couple of turians…"

"They could be hired guns," Aria said. "Vorcha come cheap, just offer them a few slabs of rancid meat and they'll lick your goddamn boots. Besides, the Alliance isn't the only force systematically hunting down the few Cerberus fugitives that remain. If they had any sense whatsoever, they'd be burying themselves deep in a cave on the most remote moon in the galaxy- or else putting a bullet in their skulls and saving everyone the trouble."

"As much as I shudder at the possibility, if they were targeting Del simply for the sake of retribution, they could have eliminated her that night before anyone even knew they were there," Liara said. "We were hardly expecting trouble."

"A single sniper shot from the shadows would have done it," Aria said with an agreeing nod.

"They may want her to suffer," Eír replied. "She took them apart, now they're trying to take _her_ apart. Hurt everyone and everything important to her, _before_ taking her out. That means the _Normandy_ might also be at risk."

"I will send them a warning, however I am less concerned about the _Normandy_ than others. They are still a military vessel, with a Spectre commander. They would hardly make an easy target. However there are less protected individuals who used to serve on Del's crew- people she counts as family- who are far more at risk."

She immediately turned to a console. She would have to construct a message to be sent to those individuals. Tali and her family, Grunt and Wrex, Dr. Chakwas and Nancy Salgado, Garrus, Miranda- _anyone_ who had served on Del's crew. Anyone she counted as a friend.

Most had the skills and resources to protect themselves should the need arrive, but others like Helen and Nancy were not so fortunate. She'd have to assign Broker agents as bodyguards, dedicate resources to keeping them safely monitored.

"Eír, how was it that you were alerted to the attack at the recital?" she asked as she worked. "How did you know they would be there, trying to take Irie?"

"I have a…_friend_," she replied, "helping us in trying to track down Orthrus agents. I was forwarded a few scraps of information obtained off an unsecured transmission."

Liara paused and looked over at her. "Unsecured?"

"Yes," Eír said grimly. "That was my first thought was, as well…_trap_. Even vorcha know better than to transmit on unlocked frequencies. That is why I went alone. Were I to alert you and Shepard beforehand I could have been doing exactly what they had hoped- leading you directly into a trap."

"Have you considered that it may not have been for _us_?" Liara asked. "How much do you trust your friend?"

"Implicitly," Eír said. "Are you suggesting the trap was for _me_?"

"It is a possibility."

"While I can understand someone wanting to get their hands on Eír," Aria said. "It would be because of her unique…_talents_. A handful of vorcha and a few foot troops would be insufficient to that end, and incredibly sloppy."

"Perhaps," Liara said. "However we must consider all possibilities. It may be that Eír was their target, and they hoped to lure her in. It may be that it was indeed Shepard who was their target, or Irie herself, to use as leverage against Del and myself. Or, their motivations may have been to initiate the attack, _knowing_ it was going to fail."

"For what reason?" Eír asked, surprised.

Aria looked grimly thoughtful. "Perhaps they were not sure of you," she said to Eír. "Perhaps there were only rumors as to your abilities. They wanted to see for themselves how extensive your biotics were. What better than a staged field test such as this one? Good way to get rid of a few pesky underlings who have outlived their value, as well."

"We can speculate all day," Liara said. "Until we have something solid to go on that is all it is- speculation. We need names, evidence."

"My suggestion? Instead of chasing after the bastards, bring them to you," Aria said. "Chances are best they're after Del or Eír. Put them out somewhere vulnerable, and see which one gets visitors."

Liara blinked. "You want me to use my bondmate as _bait_?"

"Why the fuck not? It's not like Shepard can't hand them their asses, I don't care _how_ long it's been since the war. Besides, she doesn't have to be there alone, they just have to _think_ she's there alone. Same with Eír. See which one they try and snag."

"A well-placed sniper shot would be the end of those plans. I will not lose Del, nor have my daughters grow up without a father."

"Liara, if they'd just wanted Shepard _dead_, they would have done it at the amphitheatre. That well-placed sniper shot would have been completely unexpected then. Quick, simple, clean," Eír said.

"And if our one premise is correct, and they wish to torment her before her death, it still works," Aria said. "While Eír and Del are hanging out there as bait, we keep bodyguards on everyone else. You and your daughters are safe on a highly secure Alliance base, and everyone else has their own entourage. The fuckers poke their heads out anywhere and they show us their hand."

"It is still _incredibly_ risky-"

"Just having Orthrus _out there_ without knowing what drives them is risky," Eír said, not unkindly. "I agree with Aria. We must lure them in under our terms, have them come to us. At least speak to Del about it, see what she thinks."

"In the meantime, we all keep our eyes and ears open. I want Orthrus gone as much as you do. I don't like having my organizations infiltrated by traitors and spies," Aria said, eyes sparking. "You decide what you wish to do, Liara. I will be following my _own_ ends to eliminate Orthrus. Out of courtesy I will let you know if I find any more relevant information. I trust I can count on the same?"

"Yes, Aria. I will keep you informed. Thank you."

Aria simply nodded, then vanished as the call was disconnected.

"I suppose I should leave you to it, then," Eír said, clearly getting ready to depart as well. Liara held out a hand.

"Wait, please Eír. If you have the time…I would like to talk."

"Liara, Shepard has nothing to fear from me, not anymore."

"I know," Liara said softly. "I wanted to thank you…and to tell you how proud I am of you."

"_Proud_?" Eír scoffed. "I would ascribe a lot of words as reactionary to what I have done of late, but 'proud' would not be among them."

"You let Shepard live-"

"As far as I knew, I had _killed_ her," Eír said. "She was dying on her feet before I even shot her, and she knew it, Liara. I believed she was a dead woman. Had I not, the conditioning never would have been satisfied."

"She was still breathing when you walked away, Eír. You knew that. You could have shot her again, made sure of her demise. No one would have ever known it was you to take the shot. Yet, you did not. You could have gone and ended your own life after the war, but instead you found a purpose, a reason. I do not pretend to know what that reason is, but the very fact you stand before me now testifies to its existence. I am glad of it, Eír. You deserve your peace and happiness, the same as anyone else in this galaxy. I…do not claim the right to speculate-"

Eír looked at her carefully. "But you do," she said. "You _do_ speculate. What is it you wonder, Liara?"

"I just…you and Aria…?"

Eír blinked, then chuckled, shaking her head. "No. I owe her. I wiped out sixteen of her bodyguards and had her by the throat. Her response was to offer me a _job_. She's shrewd, that one. Perceptive. I admire and respect her, but anything _more_…no. Aria and I are colleagues that keep a respectably wary eye upon one another…that is all."

"I see," Liara said, somewhat disappointed. Not that she would choose Aria as a suitable match for her sister- but the hope that Eír's heart was healing, that she would find someone to be to her what Shepard was to Liara- _that_ still remained.

_Shrive's death was not so long ago. Would you be so quick to offer your heart again were you to lose Del?_

She thrust that thought forcefully away. Truth be told, if she lost Del, she did not know if she would _ever_ be able to love again…even centuries later.

"Thank you, Liara. For caring, at least. Goddess knows I have given you little reason to. I will keep you updated on what I find of Orthrus, and most certainly if I discover any hint they might make an attempt on your family again. Let me know what Shepard thinks about our plan to lure them in."

"I will. Take care of yourself, Eír. I will speak to you soon."

The call ended, Eír's image vanishing. Liara immediately sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose before turning back to her consoles. Getting their friends and family the required protective surveillance was easy enough, but she was finding little beyond rumor regarding Orthrus.

She turned her focus on the one search avenue with the most potential: the money.

Even the most clandestine of operations needed financial backing. Cerberus had been funded not only with Jack Harper's personal fortunes, but by shady investors such as Henry Lawson- trillionaires with a loose definition of morality- or ones that could be easily duped out of cash.

Orthrus had to be receiving money from _somewhere_- money for transports, armor, weapons and ammunition, food. Somewhere, there were accounts. They might go through a thousand fronts but eventually the credits came out of someone's pocket…and ended up in someone else's. If she could track the money, she might be able to get some names.

Her contacts in Sevaa security could get her scans of the armor and weapons they had taken off of the dead assassins. Serial numbers would be absent or filed down, but it was amazing what one could do even without them.

Entering into the security database she began downloading the information, cross referencing everything from alloy mix to customized detailing. Even something as small as the molecular count of titanium in any given piece could point to a manufacturer.

Suddenly, a screen to her left lit up. Drawing it to the fore she opened it, then paled at what she read.

"_No…_" she whispered, a cold knot tightening in her stomach. "Goddess…"

Tossing that screen away she hurriedly drew up another, her heart racing as the information was repeatedly confirmed.

_We are too late_. Her head rung repeatedly with the thought, her hands shaking. _The warnings, the protective surveillance…too late…_

She accessed a private computer thousands of light years away from where she stood. As it appeared she scrolled through it, looking for any hint, any clue-

A file. Encrypted and well hidden from most normal scans, it was impossible to miss with her specialized programs. It all but waved at her.

She opened it after scanning it to be certain it was safe. A small holographic image appeared. That was all it was: a single three dimensional image, hovering over the small projection pad on the table.

Liara recognized it instantly. Joker had given her the same image as a gift, after she had recovered from being shot, and they had taken down the Shadow Broker. He had warned her –with some humor, of course- that she probably never wanted to show it to Del for fear it would be instantly destroyed. Though she did not believe Del would do away with the image were she to know of it, she had never revealed to her bondmate that it was in her possession.

The image was of Shepard, but she was not in a battered hard suit, nor her usual slouching civvies. Instead she was dressed elegantly, as if for a ball.

Stepping back, Liara activated her omni-tool, fighting back tears as she strode for the door and contacted Shepard.

Behind her, Del's small image waited in silence.

* * *

Shepard had decided to take it easy on her new recruits their first day as N1s.

The shuttle lowered down over the surface of Luna's Mare Imbrium, contrasting blasts from its engines creating tiny whirlpools of lunar dust. Ten feet above the surface, the shuttle door opened. Shepard, fully hard-suited, stood in the door and barked at her recruits.

"_Move it people!"_

They rushed past, leaping out of the vehicle, weapons at the ready. The lighter gravity softened their landing (though any marine who could not handle a leap of ten feet even in full Earth gravity was not worthy of the uniform), and barely had the last one gone out then Del jumped out after them. The other six were charging forward, without a hitch in their momentum. However Hugo Bax, the youngest of the seven, had hesitated slightly. Even _slightly_ was too long in Del's book.

"Fucking _move it Bax_!" she said as she landed just behind him, giving the back of his helmet a sharp crack with her hand. Such a blow would never so much as dent the helmet- not even driven by Del's rather inhuman fist- but it was enough to jar him sharply.

"Sir yes sir!"

Then he was off, Del hot on his heels.

Before the war, Luna had been home to a sizable Alliance communications base and basic training facility. The training was dedicated to vacuum and low-gravity survival and combat scenarios. As well, a civilian human colony numbering around 100,000 souls called the small satellite home.

The Reapers had changed all that. In their initial attack, both the domed colony of Armstrong and the Alliance training facility had been utterly destroyed. The force with which they were hit was so great, in fact, that it literally broke the moon. A chunk of rock the size of Rhode Island had broken free of the surface, and debris had been scattered.

Now, Luna did not look as she did in days of yore. The chunk of rock -now called Crisium after the location where it was torn free-had escaped both lunar and Earth orbit but not that of Sol. It now lurked at high but stable orbit a hundred thousand kilometers beyond Luna. The smaller chunks of debris that had broken off with it had not been so fortunate, and remained trapped in gravity closer to home. The moon now had its own faint, shaky rings as a result.

Though the Alliance facility itself was gone, most of its training grounds had remained intact. Located where Shepard and the new N1s had put boot to moon was the satellite's largest low-grav live-fire training fields. Completely automated, it presented an opportunity for troops to train in combat without actually having live combatants. There were several settings the complex VI could be set too. A marine was considered fully trained for combat if he could navigate Set 3 successfully.

Del had tuned the VI to Set 5.

The chance of injury or even death was very real. Besides turrets that would fire at them with heavy sprays of very _real _high-caliber ordinance, they also had to contest with hidden mines, randomized sniper arrays, and- at _this_ setting- rocket and grenade launchers.

The seven recruits had immediately headed for cover behind a shelf of rock to assess their situation as the shuttle departed. Nothing had fired at them just yet. Ferai had a pair of binocs set to infra, carefully looking over the terrain ahead. Singleton was scanning with her omni-tool.

"Report!" Del demanded as she dropped in beside them.

"Sir, there is a sniper situated thirty meters at one o'clock, four meters above deck."

"Infrared is showing two class 3 pressure mines located at 8 and 14 on the grid," Ferai added.

"Merin!" Del said.

"Yes sir?"

"You are now in charge."

"Sir?" He sounded startled.

"Merin, you are _in command_," Del told him tersely. "You have your situation report from Singleton and Ferai. There are hostages being held by a hostile merc force in a bunker two kilometers from our current location. What are your orders?"

Taken off balance, Merin visibly swallowed down his nerves, glancing from his team mates to Del, then back again. "Uh, right. Ok. Singleton, you're class 5. Can you get a drop on that sniper?"

Kim turned her omni-tool off and unshipped her sniper rifle, easing up beside Ferai and pulling up her scope. After a moment's tense pause, she spoke.

"I think I have it, sir."

"Do you have it or don't you, Singleton?" he asked firmly.

"I have it sir," she replied.

"Take it."

She pulled her trigger. A pop of metal and a fast spark along the distant rock, and she nodded. "Sniper is down, sir."

"Ferai, you and I will take care of those mines-"

"Sir, I don't like this."

All eyes turned to Lane, who hadn't as yet spoken a word since they left Earth dock. She was regarding her own omni-tool, which displayed a terrain map that she'd scanned of the reachable area.

"Explain," Merin said impatiently.

"This is an inefficient route to our objective. See here? We'd have higher ground and far more visibility if we went along to the west, sticking to this ridge. We'd also avoid all but sonar mines-"

"And likely walk into a nest of turrets and snipers," he replied. "If we take out those two mines we have clear and open ground-"

"Open ground that we'd be like bugs on a plate crossing," she said, and looked past him to Ferai. "Did you do just the thermal scan or did you do ground resonance as well-?"

"_I'm_ the one giving the orders, Lane! Ferai is qualified in demolitions, of _course_ he did the ground resonance scan as well!"

"Uh…actually, I hadn't," Ferai said, and Merin's eyes snapped to him.

"What? Why not?"

"I don't have the equipment for resonance," he said. "We're just geared out for infrared."

Merin sighed impatiently. "Fine, all right. So we do old-fashioned concussive testing and clear out any lurking E22s. Singleton-"

"Sir, I would _really_ advise going along the-"

"Your advice has been noted, Lane! _Thank_ you. Singleton, we're doing concussive testing."

Singleton looked pissed. "_Really_ sir?"

"_Problem_?"

"This is a covert op into an enemy stronghold, _sir_, and you want me to _pitch rocks_ in the hopes we blow up some E22s?"

"I gave you an order, Singleton!"

Kim rolled her eyes, glancing at the silent Del with an expression that read 'not my fault'. "Yes, sir," she said, and picked up a sizable rock from nearby. Edging out ever so slightly, she pitched the rock at the open ground. Nothing happened. She found another rock, and did it again.

On the third rock the ground suddenly geysered up with a loud rumble as a hidden E22 mine sensed the impact and detonated. As it went off, Del shook her head.

"Congratulations, Merin- that blast has alerted six hostiles to our position and in the ensuing firefight, Ferai and Singleton are lost. You two, report back to the rendezvous coordinates and wait for us."

"Great. _Fantastic_." Ferai did not sound happy as he slapped Merin none-too-gently on the shoulder. "Thanks for _nothing_, bud."

As he headed back toward the rendezvous, Singleton reshipped her sniper and nodded at Merin. "Good job at getting us killed. When you get to hell, you owe me a fucking beer."

She strode off after Ferai. Del watched them go coolly, then looked back at Merin with an uplifted brow. "You have six men left, sir, and a stronghold of hostages waiting for rescue. What are your orders now?"

Merin's jaw was tense as he reluctantly nodded and looked at Lane. "What was that alternative path again?"

* * *

Tired, sweaty, with their pads scorched in more than one location, the N recruits (minus Ferai and Singleton) finally gathered in the low bunker as Merin powered down the VI generator- effectively 'saving the hostages'.

Lane and Bax clapped with weary grins on their faces, but it was clear Merin wasn't feeling it. Shepard straightened from her idle crouch near the door and nodded. "Very good. Let's get back to the rendezvous. You have ten minutes for KP on the shuttle before I reset the damned VI and we do this _again_."

As they headed out, not daring to groan audibly, Del caught hold of Merin's shoulder and halted him. "You've never actually been in _charge_ of a detail, have you Merin?"

"No, sir," Merin said stiffly. "I was demolitions. I went where I was told and did what I was ordered. _Clearly_, I'm no commander."

"Being in the N program is _about_ commanding, soldier."

His eyes were weakly defiant as he glared at her. "Then I suppose I don't have what it takes to be _in_ the N program-"

She slapped his helmet. "Shut the _fuck up_, Merin, and _that_ is an order. You listen to me fucking close, recruit. You made mistakes, some you're not even aware that you made. You wanna hear them? This may sound rich coming from me, but the best way to get something done isn't always to bully through it. When you have lives to think about you do things the best way you can to _preserve _those lives, for both civilians _and_ those under your command. This means _listening_, and _thinking_, and realizing that the best way isn't always the _fast_ way. You didn't listen to Lane or to Singleton, and as a result, you lost two men. Worse, you did not utilize all your resources to their fullest extent. In fact, you let one of your biggest assets sit _completely idle_!"

"Sir, I don't understand. What asset?"

"_Me_, recruit. You gave orders to every single solder in this squad except for _me._ I have heavy artillery experience, infiltration and sniper experience, and I pack a wicked right hook- and you left me trailing along behind you like a lost dog."

His shock was clear. "You're my commanding officer-"

"I gave _you_ command, Merin! That means you _take command_, of the _entire_ squad. Use your resources, use your _head_. You would not be standing in front of me if Captain Towser didn't see your potential. When you saved those six people from that core meltdown you weren't concerned with rank, you got the job _done_. You've got a good head on your shoulders, you just need to _use_ it."

He nodded, looking down. "I just…my temper-"

She smirked. "Look who you're talking too, Merin. Your temper isn't an excuse, it's a _strength_. You just have to use it properly, and don't let it make you stupid. If _I_ could make N7 with the fire and brimstone temper _I_ have, then there's a fuck-ton of hope for _you_, son. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now let's get back to the rendezvous. We're doing this _again_-"

Just then her omni-tool beeped at her, a tone she had set that was reserved for home emergencies. Immediately she slapped it on, her face going grim even as worry flickered deep in her eyes. "This is Shepard. Liara, what's-"

"_Shepard, we have an urgent situation. She is gone._ _They raided her house in the middle of the night_._" _

The tone in Liara's voice-a blend of anger, concern, and outright fear-chilled Del to the bone.

"_Who's_ gone?" Del asked, immediately picturing Irie or Melara. Her heart seemed to stop in her chest. _No, she said 'raided her house in the middle of the night.' But if not the girls, then __**who**__-?_

"_It was Orthrus. Orthrus took her-"_ Liara's voice was thick. She sounded distracted, on the verge of tears.

"Liara-"

"_Shepard…they took Tali. Tali is __**gone**__."_


	16. Chapter 16

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

Shortly after Melara walked into the Junior Academy, she fell in love…and not _just_ with the school.

When they had made the decision to allow non-humans into the Alliance, specialized programs had been put into place to accommodate alternate biology. Normally, a ten year old human walking in through these doors could look forward to walking out of them again as a graduate in seven years. Most graduates signed the required service paperwork before departing, leaving the Academy and heading right into boot camp and full enrollment.

It was different for those new students who were Earthlings by birth, but _not_ human. Right now, at age ten, Melara looked and acted like a human would of the same age. Within about two years, however, that equal maturation rate would change. A human girl at seventeen was considered an adult. An asari at age seventeen more resembled a human at age twelve or thirteen. While humans progressed through puberty rapidly on the onset of changing hormones, the process actually _slowed_ an asari's growth and maturity exponentially. Melara would not be the physical or mental equivalent of a human young adult until she was in her seventies or eighties.

So, instead of being crammed into seven short years, Melara's Junior Academy schedule had been changed to accommodate a sixty year curriculum. Some of the instructors that she would have on her first days here would be ready to retire or long gone by the time she received her graduation.

As she walked in the door, she was greeted by Lt. Burke and the other three non-humans entering the Academy for the first time.

The turian boy was called Tushar Wilson. His parents had served in the war, and had fought in London during V-Day. After the Reapers had fallen they were stranded on Earth – as were so many others- for weeks before the relays were fixed. They had gone to help at a refugee camp in Jamaica and by the time galaxy-wide travel was once again available, they had fallen in love with the area. With most of their families dead, they decided to stay and make a home there.

Shortly after Tushar was born five years later, his parents had separated. His mother had remained in love with Jamaica, but his father had become restless, wanting to return to Palaven and help rebuild their home world. Eventually, their desires had become a wedge, and they parted ways. She stayed in Jamaica with Tushar and his father returned to Palaven with his elder brother Nage.

His mother had remarried when Tushar was three, to a human man named Jared Wilson. For Tushar, Jamaica and Earth was the only home he knew, and he loved it. He was friendly, outgoing, far more laid back than many turians normally were. He was a bit of a clown, and played on the fact that most people found a Turian speaking English and Galactic with a Jamaican accent incredibly amusing.

He was, of course, still a turian, and respected his people's traditions. That he would someday enter the military was not in question, though he far preferred the idea of joining the Alliance than the Turian fleets.

The two other asari were Shialira Themolo and Bethayla S'Agar. Shialira (or, Yalira, as she preferred to be called), was cocky and self-important, even at ten. Her mother's bondmate was a wealthy human man who had escaped the brunt of the war completely unscathed…angry more at his financial losses and the near collapse of the galactic economy rather than the enormous damage and loss of life. Her mother was a young and naïve Asari maiden from an extremely well-to-do House, who had been a dancer on the Citadel when it had been taken by the Reapers. Never assertive, easily plied, it had taken little effort for the rich human to charm his way into her graces.

As Burke introduced her to Melara, Yalira had stood with folded arms, one brow lifted in smug and mild distaste as she looked Mel over. The other asari, Bethayla, just stood a few feet away, hands clasped together and seeming to fervently study a patch of flooring a few inches in front of her toes.

"Melara, this is Shialira Themolo and Bethayla S'Agar. Girls, this is Melara Shepard."

"We are not 'girls', Lt. Burke, we are…I am sorry?"

The more than famous name sank in almost visibly as Yalira was haughtily correcting the lieutenant for his natural faux pas. The smug expression on her face faded as she looked from him to Melara.

"Mel Shepard," Melara said, offering her hand. Yalira regarded her with wonder, ignoring the hand.

"Shepard. As in, the Hero of –"

"The Hero of Earth, the Savior of the Krogan, the Champion of the Citadel…yeah, that's her."

Bethalya looked up a little bit at Mel- just peeking really- while Yalira's face seemed to contort between an expression of wonder and one of disgust.

Finally, it settled on disgust and she snorted. "You forgot, she's the Butcher of Torfan, too."

Melara scowled, but Yalira was back to doing what she did best…looking down on others.

"And you took the name _Shepard_? I suppose your mother's House is too low tide for you to want to take its name…oh, _that_ is right. That would be _T'Soni_ would it not? I do not blame you one bit, then. I would also not claim the House of a treacherous puddle breather and her _pureblood_ daughter-"

Melara had lived among other asari more than long enough to recognize the slurs. In one swoop, Yalira had insulted not only her mother and her grandmother, but the entire T'Soni line. To call a family 'low tide', or to name an individual as a 'puddle breather' was offensive enough, but the added pureblood slur against her mother was inexcusable.

Mel's hand clenched into a fist but before she could move, Burke intervened with a frown. "Cadet Themolo, that is enough! Blatant insults will not be tolerated in this Academy, and if you continue to repeat them we shall seriously have to reconsider your placement here, am I clear?"

Yalira looked surprised, then straightened. "My father has ties and paid a lot of credits to-"

"This is _not_ a civilian organization, Cadet," Burke said sternly. "There are rules and you _will_ obey them, am I understood? If you do not, then _you_ can explain to your father why he spent those credits on your tuition and you simply threw them away instead of making full use of the opportunity before you. Now. This goes for all four of you. In these halls you are all Cadets. You are part of the same team and you _will_ act like it. I have no problem explaining to every one of your parents why you have been expelled from this program, and none of the instructors here will have any difficulty doing that expelling, _regardless_ of parentage, if you prove that it is necessary. Is that understood?"

There was a murmur of 'yes sir's from the four, and he nodded. "Good then, the matter is settled. Follow me and I will show you around campus before we begin the rest of orientation."

As they fell in behind him, Yalira gave Melara a pointed glare where Burke couldn't see. Hardly intimidated, Melara glared right back. Rolling her eyes, Yalira fell in line behind Burke…then suddenly tripped, slamming face down onto the floor. Mel blinked in surprise. From her position, she had noticed the momentary flare of biotic blue that had caught around Yalira's ankle, making her stumble.

Her eyes turned to Bethalya, who glanced back with a faint smirk, the thin blue glow around her fingers fading in an instant as Burke looked around.

"Are you all right?"

A much darker hue of blue on Yalira's cheeks displayed her embarrassment as she pushed herself up. "Yes, sir," she said. "I must have tripped."

She hadn't seen the biotics. As they started on their way again, Mel looked back at Bethalya, who gave her a quick wink.

Mel grinned.

* * *

Well into the afternoon, Yalira was doing her best to ignore the other three as much as she could. During their break out in the yard, she kept off to one side, practicing a little with her biotics. Mel, Tushar, and Bethalya remained in a small knot, able to talk together alone for the first time since they'd arrived.

"You're really Shepard's daughter?" Tushar asked right out of the gate, his accent making 'daughter' sound more like 'dottah'. "The real, _actual_ Shepard?"

"Yes. She's my father."

"Astounding! Hey, I hear she had Garrus Vakarian on her crew during the war."

"Yeah, Uncle Garrus. They met just before she first became a Spectre."

His mandibles flapped happily. "Perfect! What a wonderful opportunity for me!"

Brows knit in confusion, she blinked at him. "What?"

"Well, your father had a turian sidekick, correct? Since you are undoubtedly destined for great things as well, then I would like to apply to be _your_ turian sidekick! It will make your endeavors far more stylish, and a lot more amusing."

She snorted a laugh, and punched him lightly in the shoulder. He grinned and punched her back in the same spot.

Bethalya stood a foot or two away, not engaging but rather looking off into the distance as if something unendingly interesting were happening just at the distant tree line off campus. Mel looked at her, then cleared her throat.

"Hey, thanks for what you did," she said. "Tripping her, I mean. That was incredibly cool."

The other asari looked at her as if surprised she was being spoken to, before she smirked and shrugged. "It is not her fault, not really. She has been raised her whole life to think she is entitled to whatever she wants. She considers it her right to be important, and then _you_ show up…having the father you do…well. How else can she compete with that?"

Mel stared at her. Bethalya didn't talk like most kids their age. She spoke more like an adult. "She doesn't need to compete with me. I can't control who my parents are, and that doesn't give her the right to call my family names."

"No, it does not," Bethalya agreed.

"Who are _your_ parents?" Tushar asked.

Bethalya only shrugged and looked off into the distance again.

"You don't know who your parents are?" Mel asked sympathetically.

"I am an orphan," she said. "They were killed…_somehow_. I have never really asked about it. I was adopted before I could walk by a matron who lives on the Citadel. She thought it was important for me to have solid ground under my feet so when I was five she moved down here to Rio de Janeiro. Her name is Callita Tib'et."

"I am sorry," Mel said. She tried to imagine growing up without her parents there, being raised by a stranger, and felt a tightness in her chest. Bethalya looked at her oddly.

"Do not be…_you_ did not kill them."

"No, but it is still sad."

"I suppose," she said. "Callita treats me well, like a mother. I am happy and I have friends, though I have not had an asari friend before…nor a turian one."

Tushar and Melara looked at each other, then Melara shrugged. "We'll be your friends."

Bethalya blinked at them as if she had not expected that, then grinned. Somehow that smile lit up the already sunny afternoon, and Melara felt herself grinning back. Bethalya might be a little bit strange, and her manner suggested she was a brain like Irie, but somehow Melara didn't mind in the least.

With a smile like _that_ being turned her direction, how _could_ she mind?

* * *

They were heading back inside when one of their instructors appeared, looking breathless. She rushed toward them.

"You three continue on to class. Melara Shepard, you must come with me immediately."

"What? Why?"

"Your father is here to collect you. Come along, quickly now."

As she was ushered forward, she glanced in confusion at the others. For a moment, her gaze met Bethalya's before she was herded away.

_We still have two hours of class left. Bába shouldn't be here, she should be training with her new recruits._

She tried not to become alarmed, her stomach knotting a bit as they ran inside. The only reason her father would show up unexpectedly and pull her out of school would be because of an emergency. She thought back on Irie's recital and the fear tightened.

_Is it Orthrus? Are they here?_

Halfway down the main corridor she spotted Del heading her way. She was in a full hard-suit with weapons-pack, and flanked by several others wearing the same. Her face and her pads were smeared with dust, and her expression was that hard, no-nonsense face that Melara usually only saw if she was in trouble…or Shepard was worried.

Both Burke and the director of the Academy were also there, faces set in concern.

"Bába?" She broke away from her instructor's side and ran forward, Del crouching as she caught her up in a hug. "Bába, what is going on?"

"Are you ok, Mel?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What's happening?"

"I need to get you home. Your mother and sister are waiting. I will explain when we're there."

From her tone, Melara knew not to argue. As Shepard straightened she took possessive hold of her daughter's hand, gripping it tightly. Melara stared at the other armored soldiers, realizing they were Del's training class.

"So long as I'm convinced it's safe, Mel will be back tomorrow," Shepard told Burke and the director. "Hackett will be sending a full security detail to campus in addition to the measures already in place. I know the chances of them even trying to assault this base are incredibly minimal but even the slimmest possibility is _still_ possibility."

"We understand. We will dismiss classes early today just to be sure," the director agreed, his face grim.

They headed for the entrance of the school, Melara gripped Shepard's hand almost as tightly as her father was holding hers. As they got outside, she could see a waiting shuttle.

"A-are Mama and Irie ok?" she asked, trying to stay brave.

"They're fine, sweetheart. Mama and Irie are just fine."

"What's happened? Something has happened!"

Del lifted Melara into the shuttle, and placed her on a seat. As the others came aboard, Shepard crouched in front of her, meeting her eyes.

"Yes, something has happened," she said softly, seriously. "Those mercs that raided Irie's recital went to Rannoch. Aunt Tali was taken."

Melara stiffened, her dark brown eyes going wide. "I-Is she-?"

"She's _alive_, baby. As far as we know, she's alive. They didn't want to kill her, or they'd have done it."

"Wh-what about Deefa and Uncle Baron? Did they take them too?"

"Deefa is all right," Shepard told her. "She wasn't hurt. Uncle Baron got a bit banged up and had to be taken to the medics but he's going to be just fine, ok?"

Melara nodded, tears swimming in her eyes. Instead of crying, however, she became serious, her eyes holding far more stone than Del had ever wished to see.

"You'll get her back, won't you." It wasn't a question. "You'll get Aunt Tali back and make them pay for taking her, for hurting Uncle Baron."

Del's gaze was just as serious. "Yes, I will, Mel. You better _believe_ I will."

* * *

Hands planted on the edge of the console, Shepard's dark eyes reflecting the tiny holographic image of herself from many years ago.

"They sent you this?" she asked.

"No," Liara replied. "It was embedded on Tali's home computer. After I received news of the raid, I scanned it. This was planted deliberately to remain hidden from others but to make it easy for _me_ to find. No other message or communication from her kidnappers has been discovered."

"No others will. This was all the 'ransom note' they needed. They wanted to make a name very clear. Donovan Hock."

The picture had been taken by Joker, moments before a dressed-up Shepard had accompanied Kasumi Goto to Donovan Hock's party in order to steal back her dead love's grey box. Del remembered the mission all too clearly, and not just because she'd been forced to kiss that scaly son of a bitch in order to maintain her cover. Kasumi had saved her life that night, by flipping the safety on Hock's gun while it was pressed to Del's head.

They had been fast friends ever since…a friendship that would sadly end far too soon, cut short when Kasumi died on Cronos station in an act that, once again, had saved Del's life.

She pushed away the memory that it had been Eír that had killed her.

"Yes, I made that conclusion as well," Liara said. "I immediately started to search for anything and everything that I could find regarding Hock, and I think I found our answer."

Del straightened as Liara pulled up some files. "Upon Hock's death, most of his assets were split up among his various associates and underlings. What remained of his private collection in his vault was piecemealed and smuggled to various locations throughout the galaxy, if not sold outright to other black market collectors. However, it seems that while Mr. Hock had no formal will, the majority of his previous holdings ended up consolidated again under one organization. Most of his sold collection also ended up converging back under a one collector. It is my belief that this was the plan from the beginning, that this one entity wished it to appear that Hock's empire had splintered in a thousand different directions when in reality, there was only one ultimate destination."

She drew up a picture of a human man. Shepard blinked as she stared at it. "That's Donovan Hock!"

"No, it is his son, Kenneth Vasquez. His mother estranged from Hock when he was a teenager, and he retained her maiden name. Mr. Vasquez not only consolidated more than ninety percent of his father's holdings after his death, he has since grown his assets exponentially further than his father ever did. I managed to get into his secure bank accounts, and not only does he have enough credits to fund his own private merc army…several transactions over the last ten years suggest that he is doing exactly _that_. I believe we have found the controlling power behind Orthrus."

Del's look darkened thoughtfully. Tali gone, a message that only an incredibly high ranking information broker could find left on her computer- a single image of Del taken just before the raid on his father's house which had resulted in Hock's death. Either Kenneth Vasquez was the commanding force behind Orthrus…or someone was _very_ desperate to frame him as such.

"Do we have a contact for Vasquez?" she asked.

"I already have Glyph searching for a contact that does not go through a dozen agents or dummy fronts. I should have his direct, private number in a matter of moments."

"Good," Shepard said, eyes stone. "I wanna talk to the bastard."

* * *

Lane and the other N1s lingered awkwardly in the living area of the Shepard-T'Soni home. Still geared up for combat and more than a little dirty, they avoided sitting down on the furniture and tried not to touch anything.

Shepard had not dismissed them yet, though she hadn't been very forthcoming about the nature of the emergency her wife had called in. Wondering on one hand if this was some kind of test, part of their training- and worried that it was, in fact, _not_- Lane let her eyes wander around the room before she realized they were being stared at.

Shepard's two daughters haunted the door between the living space and the back hall, looking at them. The older appeared as if she had been crying, though her cheeks were now dry. The younger- the one they had picked up from the Academy- was still in her cadet's uniform. Catching her eye, Lane smiled at her.

Cocking her head, the younger asari walked over. Though she couldn't have been over ten years of age, she was very nearly of a height with the little marine. Her eyes were a dark brown, almost a perfect match for Shepard's. Her skin tone was much darker than her mother's and sister's as well, a deep purple rather than blue.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Corporal Anne Lane," she replied. "Your name is Melara?"

"Yes, ma'am. Bába is training you…all of you, right?" She had drawn the attention of the others, and they had clustered around.

"That's right, kiddo," Singleton told her. "Maybe someday, if we're lucky, we'll be half the soldier that Shepard is."

The older asari daughter came forward as well. She was paler in color, much closer to her mother's shade. Her eyes- a stormy violet- seemed to have gone more gray with her emotion. Her voice was solemn as she spoke.

"Have you ever killed anyone?" she asked. Bax laughed a bit.

"We're _marines_. Comes with the job."

Lane glared at him, then looked at the older girl. "Yes, unfortunately. I think we all have."

"Good," was the unexpected reply. "Then you won't hesitate."

Knitting her brow, Singleton exchanged looks with the others before asking, "Why do you say that?"

"Because some people have taken our Aunt Tali," she said calmly. "And Bába is going to get her back. Most likely, she is going to bring you along. I just wanted to be sure you had killed before, so when you meet those…those _bastards_..."

She gasped briefly, as if surprised such a harsh word had come out of her mouth, then steeled herself before continuing.

"…you won't hesitate. You won't hesitate before you take them apart. Because that's exactly what Bába is going to do." She lifted her chin defiantly. "She is going to take them _apart_."


	17. Chapter 17

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

Like a ghost materializing out of the ether, the holographic image coalesced only a few feet in front of Shepard. Kenneth Vasquez's physical resemblance to his father was uncanny, right down to the impeccable and inescapably expensive suit. For a moment, Shepard could almost believe it actually was Donovan Hock standing in front of her.

Then he spoke, and shattered the illusion. Unlike Hock, Vasquez had not been raised in South Africa, and lacked the accent. He also lacked his father's stoic expression. Hock had possessed a very well trained and finely tuned poker face, giving away nothing. In contrast, his son was emotive, gesturing expansively with his hands, his face expressive without hindrance.

"Captain Shepard- oh…do _forgive_ me, it's _Colonel_ now, isn't it? It is quite the honor to be standing face to face with you-technically speaking."

"Be glad several light-years separate us at the moment, Vasquez," she replied. "Where's Tali?"

He smirked, gesturing at her loosely with his hand. She noticed that he held the stump of a cigar between his fingers. Not the gold-labels that she preferred. This one was almost obscenely large, the kind that always made the smoker look like they were sucking on a small tree branch. Even rendered only in projected light, Del could see the texture of the paper it was wrapped in, and her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Right to business," he said as he gestured, beaming a grin. He nodded toward Liara, who lingered stiff and silent a few feet away, and winked. "Not even going to introduce us?"

"Hello, Mr. Vasquez," Liara said before Shepard could speak. "I am the one who will be biotically tearing you apart later, if you have harmed Tali."

"Whoa, she's a _feisty_ one isn't she?" Vasquez asked. "Hello to you too, Dr. T'Soni. I'll be the one caving in a quarian skull if you speak to me that way again."

Liara and Del's expressions both darkened a bit. "Brave men do not hide behind hostages," Del told him.

"Indeed, but no one said I was a brave man," he replied. "In all honesty, Colonel…_you_ are a juggernaut of pain-dealing determination and I am just a businessman. I'm a bit outmatched in a physical confrontation, don't you think? In such unique circumstances as ours, you cannot begrudge me some insurance-"

Shepard was in no mood. "_Where is Tali_? I want to speak to Tali."

"No," he said with a smile, as if he'd just offered some kind of gift. Glaring, Del was intent.

"You attacked my family. My _children_. You have stolen my friend from her home. You haven't got yourself insurance, Vasquez. You've only guaranteed that a hell beyond reasoning is about to land squarely on your _head_."

"Hmm," he said, bemused, before he turned and walked away a few paces, taking a draw on his cigar. "You know, my father wasn't just a collector of fine and rare arts…or a black market arms dealer. He had in his possession some very special and very rare little items. The kind of weapons that don't need thermal clips, if you catch my drift. He had a particular interest in biological warfare, and he had samples of nasties that have been considered extinct on Earth for quite some time. Tell me, Colonel. Do you know what happens when a quarian is infected with smallpox? The virus cannot act on their physiology in the traditional way but the allergic reaction is _spectacular_. Their body literally starts to eat itself. Within an hour you can almost pull flesh off bone with your bare hands…of course, they don't generally live past four _minutes_, but trust me…the pain they suffer before they expire is _exquisite_."

He glanced at her. If he recognized the pure, unadulterated murder in her eyes, he did not show it. He still seemed only amused. "Listen, I am not an unreasonable man. I really don't want to hurt anyone. Sometimes it becomes necessary in the course of business but if I could avoid it…"

"What do you want?" Del asked, her voice low and threatening.

"Two things," he told her. "Two very _small_ things, you'll find…a mere pittance when compared to dear Admiral Tali'Shideh's life- a _trifle_-"

"Cao, chun! _Spit it out_!"

"Colonel Shepard, we both know that there isn't a soul among the major governing bodies in this galaxy that wouldn't immediately scream 'how high' if you told them to jump. The krogan clan chiefs, the quarian Admirals, the asari Matriarchs…as few of them as are left. Even the Alliance and Earth Parliament as well as every single sad soul on the Galactic Council- if you gave the word, they would obey it…every single _one_."

"I think you vastly overestimate the scope of my influence."

"Oh? I don't think I do. The Alliance was willing to make you Fleet Master fifteen years ago. Had you asked it when you came out of retirement, you'd be the Fleet Master right now. You could have had a position on the Galactic Council. You could have _chaired_ the Council if you had wished." For the first time, his expression became less amused and more pure malice. "My goodness, Shepard, I do believe if you had asked, they'd have handed you your own planet to rule and a harem of nubile asari virgins of your very own- no offense, Dr. T'Soni."

"Every offense _taken_, Mr. Vasquez."

"In comparison to those requests you'll find they will be more than happy to accommodate you when you ask for a much simpler boon to be bestowed- that is, that the petition for the mineral rights of six unimportant, uninhabited, utterly worthless worlds near the galactic rim be hastened with all speed through the bureaucratic process. Cut the red tape as it were."

"And I suppose the petitioning company for these mineral rights is yours."

"No use quibbling over details and trivialities."

Del narrowed her eyes again. "You said you had _two_ requests."

"Indeed. The last one is actually several all rolled into one. Once the mineral rights are expedited and Admiral Shideh has been returned completely unscathed to the loving arms of her family…no retribution whatsoever will come upon me or my organization. Not at _your_ hands, not at the hands of Aria's various syndicates, not from that spitfire of a biotic wunderkind Dr. T'Soni calls 'sister'…_no one_. I will be allowed to run my operations as I see fit…with complete immunity."

"Cao," Del said, the word almost lost in a growl under her breath. "You are goddamn insane. Firstly, I can't control Eír, Aria, or every goddamn merc gang or police force out there. I can _ask_, if I were _ever_ so fucking inclined, but they do not have to _listen_. In fact, I can hear Aria laughing in my face right now just _thinking_ about it. Secondly, when you let Tali go, what's stopping me from tracking your ass down and turning you inside fucking out _myself_?"

"Oh, a few things I think. Firstly, there's the smallpox. It would certainly be an unfortunate turn of events should it find itself in Rannoch's atmosphere…or released in the middle of one of their more populous little towns? I admit, genocide is a bit overly dramatic but it certainly gets the point across, and it is a tool with which you are _intimately_ familiar."

"_Fuck you."_

"Secondly, there's the little secret I know about your lovely asari wife. There are many, _man_y in the galaxy- Aria T'Loak included- who would give their teeth to know the name of the Shadow Broker. Her name, and even _your_ name, would not keep her safe from a thousand different knives aching for her blood. I doubt even _you_ could protect her from the sheer scope of contracts that would be put onto her head. If I spice that with a little tidbit that the Broker has run-times in T'Loak's networks, Aria might even slit the throats of your two lovely daughters to drive the magnitude of her displeasure home."

Shepard felt furiously hot and frighteningly cold at the same time. It was known to the majority of the galaxy that Liara was an information broker- she'd made that reputation for herself during the two years Shepard had been in the Lazarus Project. Only a few trusted knew her _true_ role. That information in the hands of a man like Vasquez…

_He had that information, and yet he took Tali?_ For a moment she was silent, dark eyes shifting as she carefully thought.

"I need time."

"You have two hours to give me my answer and convince me that you're doing as I ask," he replied. "If I suspect your pretty Broker wife is seeking out my location, or that you are trying to become _clever_, I will kill the Admiral. I will also make sure to record it and have it sent to her husband and child…not to mention to _you_, so you can appreciate exactly what you have done. If you do not contact me again in exactly two hours, I will assume I have your answer."

The call ended and Del shook her head.

"He doesn't have Tali."

"No," Liara agreed, already heading to her console. "He also does not have the smallpox virus."

"I'll be surprised if he has a fucking _pulse_. We're being fucked with, Li. Get me Miranda again."

Striding to the door of the office she stuck her head out and lifted her voice. "Lane! Get your tun in here!"

A moment later the small combat pilot appeared in the door. "Yes, sir?"

"Contact Admiral Hackett. Have him get ahold of the _Normandy_. We're going to need a ride."

"Yes, sir."

She stepped out to make the call and Del looked to Liara, already hard at work on her console. Vasquez was involved, yes, but he was not the driving force behind what was happening. The entire exchange had simply been a test. Tali was still in very real danger, but not from Vasquez…not _directly_. He was the money-man. He was taking orders from someone _else_.

Vasquez alone could not have found out about Liara's status as the Shadow Broker. Anyone who already had that kind of leverage for blackmail would not have bothered two risky kidnapping attempts –one under Shepard's own nose. Irie and Tali need never have been threatened.

And for what? To expedite mineral rights for a few otherwise useless worlds? For some illusion of galactic-wide immunity? Shepard had an enormous and varied amount of pull, yes…but that meant she also had an enormous number of allies. Why risk the wrath of not only the Hero of the Galaxy but the _entire galaxy_ itself? Certainly not just for _mineral rights_? Even if those six planets were made of nothing but eezo, the risk was ridiculous.

"Li, those cigars of his were laced with Grease."

"You are certain?" Liara asked, drawing up another display.

"Positive. The paper needs to be specially treated or it sweats through. If he's hooked on Grease, he'd do anything and everything possible to make his supplier happy."

Grease was a highly addictive psychotropic that was incredibly expensive and difficult to make. Not to mention getting caught with the stuff could get you executed for murder anywhere in Council space…as Grease could only be made with extremely fresh glands extracted from young salarians. There was a reason slave busts never recovered salarian _slaves_, though the slavers took salarians as often as any of the other species.

"There are only four known suppliers of Grease," Liara told her. "I will isolate our most likely suspect. Miranda is answering."

Del turned around as Miranda's holograph appeared. "Vasquez is a ruse," she said to her friend without preamble. "Someone, the real power behind Orthrus, has him hooked on Grease…no doubt to squeeze him of every last possible ounce of credits. All they have to do is threaten his supply and he'd do anything they asked."

"Grease? What demands did he make?" Miranda asked.

"He wanted me to use my pull with the Council to expedite mineral rights on six worlds at the rim, and then he wanted the insurance to know that no one in the galaxy would ever come after him for what he's doing or might decide to do in the future."

Miranda stared at her. "Did he tattoo 'Loon' on his forehead or did you have to guess?"

"Exactly," Shepard said. "We're being played with. Someone thinks this is fucking _funny_. I might laugh more if Tali weren't still in danger. You have any luck with those samples you were sent?"

"Yes," Miranda told her. "I just verified my findings. Several of those mercs at the recital were definitely Cerberus formers. They had obvious traces of Shiva's cybernetic alterations."

"So Orthrus and Cerberus _are_ linked."

"There's more. The gentleman that Eír liquefied was _not_ a former Cerberus agent. The DNA samples were drell. I'm forwarding the genetic map to Liara for verification, but if my findings are correct, he was Jevenar Kurat."

Liara paused in her work to turn. "_Dr_. Jevenar Kurat? The astrophysicist?"

"Exactly."

"What's an astrophysicist doing moonlighting as a _merc_?" Del asked with a blink.

"The last I was aware, Dr. Kurat was heading up a research group, studying the Anadius Phenomenon."

Del looked at her wife. "The Anadius… you mean, the black hole?"

"The black hole _you_ created, Del," Miranda said with amusement.

Though no one would ever say it to her face, Del had unfortunately heard the popular joke that had started circulating about her after the war…the one about her loving big explosions so much she'd blown up not one, but _two_ solar systems.

Anadius had been an accident, and fortunately the system was uninhabited. Bahak had sadly been intentional, though she had done her best to save as many lives as she could. Though the system's star had not gone supernova in Bahak as it did in Anadius, thousands of batarians had lost their lives and the system had been rendered uninhabitable.

Both systems had become the subject of scientific scrutiny after the War. Apparently, this Kurat had been the one in charge of investigating the ongoing phenomenon at Anadius.

"We need to find out why an astrophysicist would leave his research post and decide to become a merc," Shepard said. At that moment, Lane poked her head back in.

"Sir, we have confirmation on the _Normandy_. She'll be here within four hours."

"Good, by then I'll have a destination for her. Miranda-"

"Way ahead of you. I'll trace Kurat's steps and pull what I can about his research. I'll be back to you as soon as I'm able."

As she vanished, Del looked at her wife. "Li, I'm going to need a cosmetologist."

"A…_cosmetologist_?"

"Best one you can find that can be here within an hour. Also, I need a VI-"

"What is your plan?"

"I'm going to do exactly what Aria suggested," Del said. "I'm going to keep Tali safe, and at the same time, I'm going to lure these bastards right to me."

* * *

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

Liara's protests had been weak and brief, and in the end, she only really put her foot down about the coat.

Though the day had been comfortably warm and had not cooled much with the onset of evening, Shepard's body temperature regulation was as weary and sluggish as the rest of her. During the warmest part of the day it was not unusual for her to want to go sit in the back garden and enjoy the fresh air, but this was a different request…one she had not made in a long time.

With Liara under her right arm and Melara under her left, Del Shepard walked from her front door to the edge of the slope leading to the sea. The coat Liara had insisted on was long, the edges wavering around the back of her knees and making her look smaller than she was.

The tree nearby waved slightly in the breeze. The sea was fairly calm, the regular and soothing rhythm of the waves on the rocks below a gentle whisper. The sun was setting, the sky a vast smear of brilliant crimsons, electric golds, stunning pinks.

Irie had brought out and set up a small bench and as they reached it, Del and Liara sat down, Melara helping hold her father steady as she did so. When Shepard was settled, she looked at her mother, giving her a silent nod.

She and Irie retreated back into the house to make supper. Though Athena had departed a couple of hours ago, the tension she'd left in her wake hadn't completely disappeared. Everyone was doing their best to put the lingering unpleasantness aside, to focus on the now, and the here.

Del could still feel the faint bruised ache around her left eye, but her vision was clear enough as she looked at the sunset, her arm around Liara's shoulders. High above, the first faint stars were starting to appear.

"You think Mel will ever settle down?" Del asked at last.

"She loves Daenys," Liara said.

"Yeah, and yet she still changes the subject whenever the idea of marriage is suggested."

"They are both still young, Shepard," Liara said with a faint smile. "Most asari are not in a hurry to settle down and start families…however Irie and I may have behaved."

Shepard smiled a moment, before her look turned to concern, her brows faintly knitting. "Is it my fault, do you think?"

"_Your_ fault?" Liara asked.

"You know how I encouraged her crush on that girl from the Academy…Bethayla? Look how horribly that turned out…"

"Shepard, you could not have known. That was not anyone's fault-"

"And then Athena-"

"Also hardly your fault. You had _nothing_ to do with that…"

"I just…I love her, Li. God knows she and Irie are the two things I've done right in this life. The two best things I've ever done. I want her to be happy. I don't…I don't want them to face what _we_ had to face."

That was what this was really about. The ideas that Athena had brought with her were not leaving Del be. Some danger, a threat-however vague- that might be heading toward the galaxy and her family, and with her utterly helpless against it. This was a battle that, for once, Shepard would have no part in. A fight that would commence without her. Her time upon this stage was done, and she was frightened for those who would take up the fight in her place.

Liara hugged her, holding her close, feeling the tears threatening but refusing to give in to them. How did she explain that Shepard was not leaving them alone and unprepared? Shepard had spent her life arming them for whatever they might face in their lives. She'd taught them the perseverance, the nobility, the courage, and the sheer stubborn will that would see them through any trial. Perhaps the lessons had not been conscious, but from the moment of their births she had shown them by example. You took care of those weaker than you. You did anything for your family, regardless of if they had the title by blood or by choice. You spoke for those who couldn't. You fought for those who were afraid. Caring was not weakness. Loyalty was not foolishness. Tears were never ever shameful.

Del Shepard's life had been a long battlefield filled with a million different types of conflict. Even when they had peace, there were challenges to overcome, things to be done, problems to solve. Now she was laying down arms, fading from the stage, and her children had to take up those arms in her stead.

They didn't speak for a while. They just sat and held each other like that, until the sky had gone more deeply red…until more stars had begun to shine. After a time Del regarded the sinking sun again, her expression softer, a hint of a smile on her face.

"It is beautiful," Liara said, resting her head against her love's.

"Yeah," Del said. "Still pales beside you, Tianlán."

"Flatterer," Liara whispered, and kissed her cheek. Del smiled at her, and looked in her eyes, and in the distance, the sun slipped quietly below the horizon as the seabirds called in sleepy carelessness to one another.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you once again to the endlessly wonderful Bladhaire.

* * *

_Feeling tired  
By the fire  
The long day is over_

_The wind is gone_  
_Asleep at dawn_  
_The embers burn on_

_With no reprise_  
_The sun will rise_  
_The long day is over_

_~Norah Jones_

* * *

**Present : 217 Years Post War**

The color had gone out of the sky, the stars brilliant and cold far above. There was no moon tonight, and if it were not for the decorative lights on the house that Irie had left on, Liara and Shepard would be in total darkness.

They walked back across the grass, Liara keeping her arm secure around Del's waist. Though Shepard had dozed a bit against Liara's shoulder as they sat, she now seemed stronger, making the trip back with only minor support.

As if she had sensed them coming, Irie opened the front door a few moments before they reached it. Haloed in the warm light of the cheerfully lit house, she cut a graceful and somehow peaceful figure. The smell of dinner wafted past her into the evening cool, seeming to bid its own welcome home.

Shepard sat in her customary spot at the table, Liara to her left and Lily in her booster on her right. She concentrated most of her energy into helping 'feed' the baby…a task which seemed to involve more silly faces, swooping noises, and messy giggles than necessary. It wasn't until they cleared the plates that Liara realized Shepard had not, herself, eaten a single bite.

Irie cleaned up Lily's messy face, then put her in her pen with some toys while she helped Liara, Mel, and Dae clean up the kitchen. Shepard was resting in her chair…or so they thought, before a sound suddenly drew their attention.

Liara set her towel aside and walked to the door, looking into the living area. Shepard had taken Lily from the pen and the baby was now standing at the foot of the chair, holding on to Del's knee with one hand to steady herself. On Shepard's lap was her guitar, and she plucked it a little bit as she painstakingly turned the tuning pins.

The guitar had been resting in its case for months, left forgotten in the corner of Del's study. As she sat now, tuning it under Lily's rapt gaze, Liara could almost believe she'd gone back in time, looking on as baby Irie watched her father ready her guitar.

The three younger asari joined Liara in the doorway. Oblivious of her audience, Shepard finished the tuning and smiled down at Lily.

"Let's start off simple, ok?" she asked, regarding Lily's opinion on the matter of the utmost importance. As if she understood, the toddler let out a firm 'Ba!' and slapped a hand on the flank of the guitar.

Shepard started to play a short little song that had been on one of Mel's favorite vids as a child. It was lively and bright, the kind of music that kept a young child's attention. Clearly excited, Lily waved her hand, or slapped it enthusiastically against her grandmother's knee.

Del giggled at her as the song finished with a flourish, Lily beaming back. Setting her fingers, Shepard continued on, playing a couple of more bright little childhood tunes, before launching into one of Flatwood's more cheerful songs. As it faded, it was replaced with all too-familiar notes…notes that had long since engraved themselves in Liara's memory.

The song was one that eternally played in Shepard's head, though she was not consciously aware of it for the most part. Once upon a time, the creation of the chorus had been Del's own desperate subconscious bid to keep her sanity against subharmonic indoctrination inflicted upon her by a man named Wyatt. In the end, this song represented not only Shepard's own intrinsic determination, but also her victory- over him, over her past, and over her own doubts and fears.

Woven in to that was the pure emotion that she held for Liara. Before she even knew the truth of the tune, she had considered it Liara's song, the essence of everything she felt for the asari- emotions that mere words simply could not adequately express. When it was finally finished, she had named the song simply, summing up everything that it meant to her.

_My Sky Blue_.

As her mother had all those long years ago, Lily reached forward as Del played, resting first her small palm, and then her head against the flank of the guitar. She pressed her ear and cheek to it, feeling the vibrations as she listened with an almost adult intensity.

When the last notes faded out, Lily lifted her head and looked up at Del, who looked back down at her.

"What do you think, kiddo?" Shepard asked. Lily blabbed a series of nonsensical baby words with a college professor's aplomb, before slapping her hand on the guitar again. Del laughed, reaching out and brushing a hand over the child's crest.

"Yeah, me too," she said, smiling. Liara finally stepped through the door and into the living room, the motion drawing Shepard's attention. She lifted her head, blinking at the gathered asari watching her as Liara stooped to pick up her granddaughter.

"Won't surprise me if she turns out to be a singer like her Mama," Del said to Irie as the others approached. "She's so much like you, Nub. Almost down to each freckle on her nose."

Irie bent, kissing Shepard's temple before smiling at her, her eyes aqueous.

"Play a song for me, Bába."

"Any song you want, Nub."

"Blind Hope?"

Shepard smiled and nodded, looking at Liara a moment. Irie sat down at her feet as Mel and Dae seated themselves nearby. Liara passed Lily to her mother, Irie holding her daughter close on her lap as the song began. Rocking the child back and forth, Irie sang softly along with the guitar.

"_What we need is all there is_

_Blind hope in a restless sea_

_Your arms are where I belong_

_In dark I will find you_

_You are my blind hope…"_

* * *

An hour later, Shepard's exhaustion had taken over again, and Lily had fallen into a contented sleep on her mother's lap. Liara returned the guitar to its home as Irie put Lily to bed. When her bondmate returned to the room, Shepard got weakly to her feet, clinging to her hand a moment before reaching toward her youngest.

Melara embraced her tightly. "Sleep well, Bába," she whispered.

"I will," Shepard said. "Don't stay up too late."

Melara didn't release her. "Bába, I-"

"Hush now. I'll see you in the morning," Del said lightly. Loosening her grip she gave Mel a rough kiss on the cheek, then winked over at Daenys. "You two behave yourselves now. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That's a remarkably short list, Bába. You might want to rethink that," Melara said faintly. This, too, was a familiar exchange, and Melara momentarily felt her throat close. She cleared it roughly. "Get some rest. Maybe tomorrow we'll take the bike out for a spin, hmm?"

"You bet," Del replied. Clearing her own throat, she turned to hug Irie as Mel stepped back, Dae's arm sliding around her shoulders. Always far more open with her emotions, Irie's cheeks were unabashedly damp as she clung to her father.

"None of that, Little Blue," Del whispered in her ear. "I'll see you in the morning. I'll even make you breakfast if you want."

Irie sniffled a faint chuckle. "That is not what I want."

"What _do_ you want?" Del asked with a knowing grin.

"_Mama_ to make breakfast," Irie replied.

"Oh, I see how it is." Shepard drew back, lifting her hands and lightly wiping her eldest daughter's cheeks. "No crying. My scrambled eggs aren't _that_ bad."

"They very nearly are," Irie told her, then hugged her again, kissing her cheek. "_I love you_, Bába."

"I love you too, Irie," Shepard said, and gave her a wink. As Irie reluctantly stepped back, Liara moved in. She had already bid her goodnights to Melara and Daenys. Now she hugged Irie as Del released her, murmuring to her eldest a moment before kissing her goodnight and taking hold of her bondmate. Del wound an arm around her shoulders. As they passed Daenys on the way to the bedroom, Shepard paused, reaching out and brushing a hand over her arm.

"You take care now, Dae."

"I will," she replied softly. "Good night, Shepard. Sleep well."

"You too."

* * *

Melara watched her parents disappear slowly down the hall into their bedroom, feeling Dae's fingers slip through her own.

"She seems better this evening," Daenys said, optimistic. "Perhaps she truly will be up for that ride tomorrow."

"Maybe," Melara replied, but she did not feel it. Looking over at her sister, she could see Irie did not feel it either.

Gripping Dae's hand tighter for a heartbeat, she then released her hold and headed outside. Stepping out into the cool evening air, she crossed the small porch and sat down on the steps, at the edge of the pool of warm light cast by the small lamp hanging over the door.

The birds on the cliffsides had long gone silent, sleeping huddled in their nests or clustered together on the branches of the low hanging trees that clung to the rocks. The only sound was that of the waves in the distance, a faint glimmer of reflected starlight now and again breaking the otherwise invisible line between water and sky.

Reaching in to her pocket, she drew out a small capped tube that held a single gold-label cigar. Holding the cigar, she turned it over and over in her fingers for a long while before she tucked it in her teeth. A small flare of gold light punctuated the snap of a lighter. Wisps of gray white smoke that smelled of autumn plumed into the darkness.

Letting out a breath that billowed with white, Melara let her arm hang from her knee, the stogie dangling from her fingers as she quietly watched the stars far above.

* * *

Liara knelt before Shepard as she sat on the bed, methodically unfastening her boots and drawing them off, setting them aside. As she started to rise, Del caught her lightly, cupping her face as she leaned forward and kissed her a moment.

As their lips parted, Liara gently brushed her hand over her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Shepard told her softly, then leaned forward again until their foreheads rested against each other's. "How could I be anything other than perfect with _you_ here?"

Liara smiled, faint but genuine, her fingers tangling for a moment in Del's hair, then drawing back. "You need rest."

Rising, she gathered a tank and a pair of yoga pants, helping Shepard to change into them before she changed as well.

Beside the bed rested an oxygen unit and small mask. As Shepard lay back on her pillows, Liara reached for it, only to be halted as Del caught her hand.

"Not tonight," she said. "I feel all right, and it gives me a headache."

Liara's trembling fingers remained on the mask a moment, before they reluctantly drew back. She nodded, leaning over and kissing Shepard's forehead lightly before she crawled into bed beside her. They settled in, Shepard immediately turning toward her and winding her arms around her as their legs entwined. The motions were done unconsciously, a dance that had been repeated a million times over during the last two centuries.

Liara nestled close in her warmth, her head tucked under Shepard's chin. She was tired, but her mind was still spinning with the events of the day…with the fears brought every time Del went to sleep. Still, it was not her own disquiet that prompted her to speak.

"You are troubled?" she asked softly.

Shepard moved a bit, shifting enough to look Liara in the eye. Lifting a hand, her finger seemed to find and map every tiny freckle on Liara's face, brushing every one with a light, affectionate touch. As the fingertips brushed over her lips, Liara lightly kissed them.

"Still my beautiful Sky Blue," Del whispered. Then, "Do something for me, Li."

"Of course, Shepard."

"Make me a promise. Promise me that you won't stay alone the rest of your life."

"Del-"

"Liara, please. This is important to me. I never wanted to cause you pain. From the moment I first saw you, all I wanted was for you to-...I can't…I can't abide the thought of you being alone for so long-"

"Del, _shh_," Liara soothed, worried that her love was getting upset.

"_Promise_ me, Tianlán. Please."

"Shepard…"

"_Please_, Li. I want you to be happy."

Liara could feel the warmth in her eyes as they looked into Del's. Though there was little light in the room, she could see the faint outline of Del's face, the tiny reflections off her gaze. She knew every shade and nuance of brown in those eyes. She knew what fearful expression they held now.

Her voice barely audible, Li heard herself ask. "How can I be happy without you?"

"You'll find a way," Shepard said, fingers brushing over the edge of Liara's chin. "And I'll always be with you. Here…and here."

The touch traveled to Liara's chest, pressing a moment directly over her heart, before they trailed softly over her brow. Liara's throat felt hot and narrow with emotion before she captured that hand, pressing it almost frantically to her lips.

"Promise?" Del asked.

_How could she do this? How would she ever have the strength?_

"I…promise," Liara replied, the words escaping in a faint flutter of air. "_I love you_, Del Shepard."

"I love you too, Liara. Now and forever." Drawing her hand free of Liara's, she lightly slipped it behind her neck, thumb caressing her cheek as they once more drew close…close enough to breathe each other's air. "My Tianlán."

Liara kissed her gently, before ducking her head against Del's neck as before, clinging to her. She did her best to hide the tears, but she knew more than one dampened the point where her skin ended and Del's began. She could still feel the tension in Shepard's muscles, a low-energy charge that told her she was still not finding her comfort.

"You are still troubled?" she asked softly.

"A little."

Liara nodded slightly. Her eyes, open in the darkness, slowly flared to black.

Though it had been several months since they had Joined in romantic sense…and nearly a year since there was any actual physical consummation with said Joining…Liara would often initiate a gentle meld on those evenings when their worries or fears prevented sleep. Even Del's near constant utter exhaustion sometimes was not enough to let her actually _rest_, and both had found this method helpful.

Slowly the room about them faded away, replaced by warmth and color and laughter. The memories were all happy ones, steeped in the warmth and contentment of joy, of family.

_Together, they walked once more along the beach, both young and strong. Liara's belly was swollen with the infant Melara. Del's hand clasped hold of one of Irie's, the little asari's grip firm and trusting. Her other hand was clasped in her mother's, and with every few strides taken she would leap into the air, allowing her parents to swing her wildly between them. Her laughter punctuated the bright sunshine._

_Shepard swept a three year old Melara up into the air, swinging her in giddy, looping circles. Never fearful, Melara spread her arms and pretended she was flying, a look of pure joy on her face._

_Seventeen years old, Del Shepard ran through Central Park, her own arms spread wide and her jacket flapping behind her. Grinning widely, Paul chased her, a balloon trailing from one hand and the remnants of an ice cream cone clutched in the other. He was laughing as he was running, hard enough he ended up with the hiccups. Del laughed too, and after they collapsed on the green grass and looked up at the clouds far above, she imagined exotic worlds, rainbow nebulae, and the stars reaching on forever._

-then…

_Candlelight Mist began to play, Flatwood's deep, mellow tones filling the room. Liara inclined her head as she listened, letting the music paint its colors._

_Asari loved music in general…but it seemed there was a great deal of difference in asari music than human music. Not, of course, that the small sampling of human music she'd been exposed to was really much basis for comparison but…well, for one…asari had no male singers. The deeper voice, the more gravelly edges…she would not have really considered a male human as being much of a singer…but Flatwood proved her wrong with the very first syllable. There was something primal about it, yet soothing, comforting._

"_You like it?" Shepard asked, and Liara nodded._

"_Oh, very much. It is so…soulful. More emotional than I was expecting."_

"_That's blues for you," Shepard told her, then stepped over and held out her hand. Liara blinked at her, and Shepard grinned._

"_C'mon. Don't tell me you don't know how to _dance_, T'Soni."_

_Taking the hand offered her, Liara allowed herself to be pulled into those arms, burying her face in the smell of shampoo and cigars. She did know how to dance, and as the music played endlessly, that's just what they did. _

_They danced…_

…_and danced…_

…_and danced._

* * *

Liara slept deeply, the remnants of their meld fading into pleasant dreams as they crossed the line into relaxed slumber at last. The house was steeped in a comfortable dark, a comfortable silence.

A soft touch on her cheek roused her a little, but sleep was reluctant to let go, determined to keep her bound in its cozy arms. Emotional exhaustion was as strong as physical, and she had not enjoyed a true sleep in far too many weeks.

When the touch repeated, she drifted just close enough to wakefulness to murmur, "_Del_?"

A faint breath on her ear, a nearing warmth, the tender press of lips against her cheek as Shepard bent over her. Then, a gentle whisper.

"_I love you, Tianlán."_

A sleepy smile passed over Liara's face. "I love you too, Shepard."

The act of speaking brought her closer to the breaking edge of consciousness, and after a moment she stirred a little, heavy eyelids cracking open a hair. "Del…?"

What was Shepard doing up and out of bed? But no…she wasn't. She was still in Liara's arms, her own wound loosely about her, the pair still snuggled close under the blankets. Closing her eyes again and yielding to the relentless tug of sleep, Liara quickly fell back into slumber.

_A dream. It was just a dream…_

* * *

The windows in Liara and Shepard's bedroom automatically went opaque at ten o'clock in the evening, then clarified again just after seven in the morning. As they cleared, and the first bright fingers of golden sunlight crept over Liara's cheek, she stirred faintly. The minutes crept past, the beams warming her skin enough to prod her awake.

Coming to consciousness, feeling heavy and comfortable, she did not at first open her eyes, savoring the last few moments of a much needed rest. When she heard the muffled sound of little Lily's happy babbling and Irie's soft replies coming from deeper in the house, she surrendered to the inevitable.

"_Mmm_…Shepard?" She said, voice still thick with sleep as she opened her eyes, lightly touching her love's serene face. "Del…"

The warm center and lingering tides of sleep that surrounded her slowly began to turn to ice. The fingertips resting softly on the cool cheek of her bondmate began to tremble, ever so slightly. As she was facing away from the windows, the sun did not shine on Shepard's face as it did Liara's. Beneath the soft blue shadows, her eyelids were still, dark lashes resting quietly on her cheeks. Liara's hand fluttered away from her cheek, shaking a little as it pressed momentarily to her own lips, then reached out to grip Shepard's shoulder.

"_Del…_" she said again, and instantly the world became a shivering blur.

Melara must have heard the first, muffled sob as she passed outside the door, for it seemed she was walking in almost at the same instant, sleep still misting her wide brown eyes.

"Mama?"

Liara, kneeling now on the mattress in a mussed tangle of blankets, did not even look at her. Her eyes were on her bondmate, brows wrinkled and tears streaming down her cheeks, a shaking hand pressing over her mouth. Melara hurried over, her gut already sinking.

Shepard lay as if still asleep, resting on her left side with that hand curled comfortably near her face. The other lay extended limply toward Liara, fingers resting lightly on her knee, as if she somehow sought to comfort her weeping mate.

For a moment, Melara just stood there, a vulnerable bafflement making her appear as a child again. Numb, she was barley aware of sitting down beside her mother. Reaching out, she took hold of Shepard's wrist, fingers gently seeking out the pulse point.

She didn't need to note the absence of that soft throb to know she was gone. The cool of her skin, the stillness of it, was unmistakable. There was no spirit left in this flesh.

Almost timidly her hand drew back, and then crept around Liara's shoulders. As softly as collapsing sand, Liara fell into her daughter's embrace. As Mel held her close, gently rocking as Liara used to do to comfort her daughters when they were still small, Irie tentatively stepped into the door. She looked pale, and lost.

"Mama…?" Irie said quietly, trembling. "Is she…"

Mel nodded, tears spilling ignored down her face. Irie came forward, rushing the last few steps as if fearful she wouldn't be able to close the distance unless she hurried. She wound her arms around both her mother and her sister.

Outside, the seabirds began to sing.

* * *

_Larry Thacker, Galactic Information Network. We have just received a message from the Alliance bearing some…solemn news. Admiral Delilah Shepard passed away quietly in her sleep early this morning Earth time; she was 249 years of age. We are being told that she passed at home, and of natural causes. I know that I am not alone when I say that this galaxy has lost the finest hero ever to sail its stars. There is not a single soul that walks on any world, ship, or station in the Milky Way who does not owe their life to this remarkable, courageous, and incomparable woman. Fleet Master Rachel Pressman and Prime Minister Jorge Natches will be holding a press conference this afternoon to outline what we can expect over the next few weeks in both honoring- and laying to rest- the Hero of the Reaper War. Our consolations extend of course to her family and children, and we ask that their privacy be respected. Admiral Shepard, from a trillion hearts and mouths across the endless sky that you loved so much…we thank you, and pray you have found your peace at last. This is Larry Thacker, GIN News…good afternoon._


	19. Chapter 19

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

Liara stood in front of eternity, her eyes focused past the thin sheen of protective glass between her and the endless infinity of space.

Stars formed the glittering, jeweled backdrop to a squad of Spruce-Class Sabre IV fighters. Reflections of sunlight marked their almost perfect ebony edges, and their dark hulls gleamed with rainbow reflections.

She could see ten of the fighters from her vantage in the Port Observation Room. On the starboard were another ten fighters. Their honor escort.

The curving edge of the Citadel came into view, the ancient space station as bustling and brilliant as it had ever been. It had endured countless millennia, and would no doubt endure countless more. Beyond its spread arms, the pale blue curve of Earth- their ultimate destination.

She missed the soft hiss of the door behind her. It wasn't until Melara softly spoke that Liara's thoughts returned from the distant places they had been wandering.

"Mama?"

Though she heard her daughter, she did not turn around. A moment later, soft footsteps headed her way, and a gentle hand closed on her shoulder.

"Mama, we are about to land," Melara said softly. "Are you ready for this?"

"There is no 'ready' for something like this, Mel," Liara told her. Finally looking at her daughter, her eyes softened and she turned to her, fingers stealing out to gently adjust the already impeccable uniform jacket.

Asari or not, the strong reflections of Del in her youngest daughter were impossible to ignore- and at a time like this, incredibly painful. Melara looked at her sadly with Del's eyes. She stood with Del's posture. Goddess help her, right now she even smelled like Del's cigars.

She drew back a little, then nodded under the weight of Melara's concern. "I will be all right, Mel," she said. It was a lie of course, but truth be told she had little choice in the matter. It was either be strong or break apart completely.

Melara took her hand. Her expression told that she knew better than to believe her, but she was compassionate enough not to say anything. "Come. I'll walk with you to the helm, if you want to see the landing."

The SSV _Normandy_ SR-2 had finally been retired fifty years after the end of the war. By then, she had become hopelessly archaic, the tech advancing and leaving her behind. The Alliance had installed her in the massive Air and Space Museum near Alliance Headquarters in Peru. It was decided then that the _Normandy_ name would be retired, and it was- for a very long time. Then, Shepard's youngest daughter became not only one of the very first asari in the Alliance, but the first asari to attain the N7 Special Forces ranking, and the first to become Captain.

The media abounded with speculation that she would continue to follow in her famous father's footsteps and join the ranks of the Council Spectres, but Melara had actually declined the honor when it was offered. At the time, she didn't feel it was being extended because she had earned it, but only because she was Del's daughter.

When she'd graduated the N7 program, the Alliance had taken the _Normandy_ name out of retirement and commissioned a new, top-of-the-line frigate to be built. As the first _Normandy_, the SSV _Normandy _SR-3 was not simply a human endeavor. Workmanship from nearly every species across the board had gone into her design, and when she was finished, she was a sight to behold. Once more, she was the most advanced frigate in the galaxy. Once more, the N7 captain that stood at her helm bore the name Shepard.

As the first _Normandy_, it also had a familiar face in the pilot's chair.

"We're about five from landing, Captain," Joker said as Melara and Liara approached his chair, turning his head a little to glance at them.

This was, of course, not the _true_ Jeff Moreau. Despite his health problems, the original Joker had lived to a good age, if not a grand one. Per his request he had been buried in a small cemetery in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

After he had passed away, EDI had created an advanced AI interface in a VI hard-light body. It had taken her some time, but she had managed to capture Jeff's complete personality in the AI, and had even been able to encode most of his memories. This original Jeff AI still remained with EDI. She had created another when she heard the _Normandy_ was coming out of retirement. Instead of a hard-light VI interface which would have been inefficient, the new Joker had a synthetic body not unlike EDI's original Dr. EVA chassis. He, as EDI had, served both in a physical capacity and as an actual integrated part of the ship.

The Joker synthetic had worked so well, in fact, that most ships these days had synthetic and fully integrated AI pilots. Though only this one actually resembled and acted like Moreau, the others were still called after his handle. The name 'Joker' became a firm part of galactic slang and was used almost universally in reference to any pilot or helmsman.

Given the ramifications of the new tech, the Council had been forced to address the complicated issue and several sanctions had been put into place.

The first being, the synthetic pilots- while integrated into the ship's systems- had to be fully autonomous as well. This enabled them to evacuate the same as the rest of the crew in case of ship compromise. Without this, every time a ship was destroyed- by accident or on purpose- would be the legal equivalent of murder. This also allowed any given pilot the ability to be transferred between ships, or easily moved onto a new one in case the old ship was retired.

On a civilian level, the new tech had even stricter sanctions. Shortly after its inception, grieving families had taken to creating a perfect synthetic replication of their deceased relatives. This created all sorts of identity and tax confusion issues, as well as issues with inheritance. Less obvious were the discoveries made by several psychologists. Through their studies, it was determined it was an incredibly unhealthy practice in terms of the mental well-being of the survivors. With an immediate replacement of a beloved father or child, those surviving did not go through the normal grieving and recovery process. While it helped spare them the immediate pain of grief, in the long term it was leading to full mental breakdowns and some odd levels of sociopathic behavior. One extremist group had even tried to legalize _murder_…after all, why was it wrong to murder someone if a fairly exact replication of them could be created and simply continue on where they left off?

It was the arguments and controversies surrounding cloning all over again, with the added bonus that the synthetic replications had no known shelf-life. Now, it was illegal for _any_ synthetic to be made that replicated the personality, thought processes, or memories of any previous or current living sentient person. Even their appearance was restricted to a designed standard set down by the Council. In the new laws, the Jeff synthetics- the only two now allowed to remain appearing as any known species- were permitted to remain functioning on the understanding that no more be built. Were anything to happen to the _Normandy_'s Joker or EDI's initial prototype, Jeff Moreau would truly be gone.

Now controversy of a _different_ sort was heating up. While the military-sanctioned synthetic pilots were given the same pay and autonomy as any other solider, this did not hold true for some of the civilian created synthetics, which were still considered _property_ in small areas of the galaxy. Given they were AI, this was akin to slavery.

For the moment, synthetics remained highly regulated and difficult to build and obtain due to the incredible number of laws and sanctions put into place…though a small black market was quietly thriving. The only synthetics not to come under these regulations were, of course, the geth…who had long been recognized as a separate species with standing equal to any other.

Under Joker's delicate touch, the _Normandy_ entered Earth's atmosphere and descended toward her final destination. The Alliance landing pad was well within a secure complex but a few vetted civilian reporters had been allowed in. She had been assured they would be kept back to a respectful distance, but nearly everything from the moment the _Normandy_ touched down would be on every newsfeed across the galaxy, almost in real-time.

The fighters did not descend to land with them. As the frigate came to rest, the Sabres pulled into formation and did a silent fly-by, a tradition of respect saved for the most revered of heroes.

As she followed her daughter numbly through the ship and down to the cargo bay, Liara barely saw the faces of the crew as they quietly watched her, standing at attention with their hands in firm salute. Had she looked, she may have seen that even some of the hardened marines had damp eyes.

Resting in the cargo bay, the highly polished hover-casket was covered, draped over by both an Alliance and a United Galaxy flag. To an outside observer, the matron widow appeared solemn and stoic, her stance as self-controlled and dignified as any asari Matriarch. Within, Liara only felt numb. It was either numbness or the furious aching pain, and if she let the latter take hold of her she was not certain she could survive it.

It did not really matter. This was all for ceremony, for show. Though the greater public would never know it, Del Shepard's body was _not_ in the casket standing before Liara now. It contained instead a neatly pressed set of Alliance Admiral's dress blues, with a gold-label cigar tucked in the left breast pocket, and a tiny music chip encoded with songs from Flatwood, Opus Ori, and Irie tucked in the right breast pocket. Lying over the uniform was the thin sabre that belonged to the dress blues, and a small clear box that contained a single blue rose, sealed and preserved so that it would never fade.

Shepard was still at home on Virmire, sealed in a simple cryo-container and awaiting her true sending. These next few days were all for the galaxy, for the faceless trillions that wished to honor their hero with pomp and circumstance. There had even been a rather tense discussion about whether or not Shepard would be interred on Earth or on board the Citadel. Many had hoped for the Citadel, claiming that while Shepard was human by birth, she truly belonged to the entire galaxy. In the end, it was decided to bring her home to New York, though a second memorial ceremony would be held on the Citadel in the coming days. A memorial, of course, that Liara and her children were expected to attend.

As the cargo door opened, Liara could see the waiting honor guard standing starchly at attention on the dark tarmac. Fleet Master Pressman, Admiral Heritage, General Nuveson, and Earth Prime Minister Jorge Natches waited beside them. Forming rank upon rank were hundreds of marines and officers who had been selected to be present. The small amount of press was clustered off to the side, well away from the proceedings, though their hover-cams made that irrelevant.

A single soldier was playing a tune that Liara only vaguely knew as Taps. Beyond that, the silence was overwhelming- almost unnatural.

The honor guard came up the ramp, saluting both Melara and Liara, before their commanding officer asked permission to take possession of the casket. Melara granted it, and the guard flanked the casket to escort it down.

Around Liara's neck hung Del's dog tags. Her hand was gripping them tightly, and she was distantly aware of them digging into her flesh. She kept hold on them, even when Mel lightly touched her elbow, giving it a gentle squeeze as they followed the honor guard and the casket.

The day was beautiful. That was the only thought that stuck with Liara, everything around her reduced to a dreamlike half-awareness. Mechanically, she accepted the condolences of the Fleet Master and gathered officers. Someone handed her a small box, their words nonsensical drones that she merely nodded to, murmuring her replies without conscious effort. Mel's hand on her elbow anchored her, guided her, kept her steady.

The day was beautiful.

The day had no right to be beautiful. How could the sun still shine? How could the colors stay so electric around her, so bright and cheerful? It all seemed so callous and cold.

Her Del was dead. Everything else that just kept on _living_, kept on _being_, seemed heartless in the wake of that truth.

The ceremony itself wasn't until the next day. They had been given lush quarters, marines and various guards discretely stationed about the premises so that no one bothered them. Irie, who had taken alternate means to Earth, had already arrived. With her was Lily, of course, and her husband, Evik.

Daenys would likely be arriving soon, having taken her own small ship to retrieve a few important souls. With some prompting, Irie had finally gotten Liara to go in and rest, using the pretense of helping Lily settle for a nap. When she emerged from the bedroom, she saw that Melara had vanished, no doubt retreating to find her own method of solace.

The quarters seemed impossibly huge, almost clogged with silence. Irie stood, her fingers tracing over the lid of the box that Pressman had given to Liara. Within was some kind of medal. Mel had told them it was the only one of its kind, made specifically in memory of the Hero of the Galaxy. Irie didn't open the box to look at it. No _thing_, no matter how artistically wrought, would ever compare or make up for the loss they all felt so keenly.

She felt arms slide around her waist and turned, her face burying in her husband's chest. He held her silently a while, saying nothing. She could hear his heart, and for a moment counted each beat. It only served to remind her how short his own lifespan was, and how she would lose him as well- far too soon.

Desperate to forget that, she spoke instead, murmuring against his shoulder. "Do you remember how nervous you were the first time you met her?"

Evik smiled. "Nervous? I don't think that really covers it. I was expecting her to shoot me…_if_ I was lucky."

Irie smiled a little, closing her eyes as she remembered. A gentle meld drew Evik into the memory as well, a shared moment that brought them both an odd comfort…

* * *

Liara paced the living room, hands wringing in a way Shepard had not seen since they had first met. Smirking to herself, Del set her wife's mug of tea down on the table, then walked over, catching hold of her. "Tianlán, calm down. You're like a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs!"

"A wh…oh. Yes, I suppose." It was a testament to her fluster that she did not immediately catch on to what Del had said. As she glanced toward the door, Del caught her chin and brought her gaze back to the fore.

"I thought _I_ was supposed to be the agitated one," she said teasingly.

"I just…it is important to Irie that we like this young man, and that he likes us. I am merely…concerned about making a good impression-"

"You are still a terrible liar, Tianlán," Del told her. Liara scowled a bit, but her continued nervousness made it simply cute, rather than intimidating. Her hand suddenly quested around to the small of Del's back, and Shepard lifted her brows.

"What are you doing?"

"Making sure you are not armed," Liara replied. Del rolled her eyes, then took her wife's hands, drawing her over to the sofa and sitting down.

"Li, c'mon. You _really_ think I'm going to shoot him?"

"Del…listen to me. I know you love Irie. She has grown into an incredible maiden and I have no doubt that she is going to change this galaxy someday. She is brilliant, and better yet…she is _sensible_. I know she will always be your baby, but she is not a child of sixty or seventy any more. I have never heard her talk of someone with such love and adoration as she has for this young man. This is not like those few crushes she brought home from school. This is serious. She wants to make him her bondmate-"

"And you're afraid I'm going to answer the door with my rifle out like I did for those 'few crushes' in her school days, right?" Del asked. "Look, Liara. She loves this man, that's wonderful, but you're right. She will _always_ be my little girl, and as far as I'm concerned, there ain't a goddamn soul in this galaxy worthy of her. I don't want her to get hurt, and you'd better believe if someone _does_ hurt her, I'm going to tear the fucker _apart_-"

"Del-"

"_That being said_," Del replied sternly. "I also want her to be _happy_. You said it, Li. She's not a kid any more, and I can't make her choices for her. If he makes her happy then that's what's important. I promised her _and_ you that I'd give this guy a fair shake, and I mean to keep my word."

Right then, a soft chime came to the door.

"Ah, that must be them," Shepard said, getting to her feet. Li almost desperately leapt up as well, catching hold of her.

"I will answer it," she said.

"No, _I'll_ get it," Del told her, stepping past her bondmate and heading for the door. "Honestly, Li. I don't know why you and Irie are both so terrified of me meeting this man-…"

Reaching the door, she opened it, breaking off in mid-sentence.

Irie stood almost timidly on the small porch, looking wide-eyed at her father as she realized who had answered, her hand automatically tightening on the one she was clasping.

Shepard barely saw her. As she pulled the door open, her eyes had landed immediately on the young man standing at her side. He was dressed nicely, clasping a bottle of wine or pris para or some other liquor in his free hand. He was hardly relaxed, his stance betraying the stiff expectation of imminent death.

For a long moment, Shepard and the fellow simply stared in mutual shock at one another. Then Irie spoke, breaking the spell.

"Bába-"

Shepard's fist sailed out in a perfect jab, as fast as a cobra could strike. She felt lips flatten over teeth. The bottle shattered as it was dropped, foaming red over the white porch. Rocked by the blow and off balance, the young man stumbled back and tripped on the steps, falling hard to the pathway just beneath them.

"Evik!" Irie turned and hurried down toward him as Liara darted in front of Shepard. Though she was not using her biotics, her skin was glowing with the promise of them as she pressed her hands to Del's shoulders.

"Shepard, stop-"

"_Get him out of here_," Shepard said, all but snarling as she pointed past Liara at the boy. "What the gui is this, a goddamn _joke_?"

"Shepard, this is _not_ a joke! We invited this boy to our house and-"

"He is _not_ coming inside _my house_!"

"Delilah Shepard, _that is enough_!" Liara fixed her bond mate's glare with a cold one of her own. Shepard stared at her a moment, furious. The tendons in her jaw seemed carved of granite. For a moment, Liara feared she would have to use biotics to prevent Del from pushing past her. Instead, Shepard turned and strode back into the house, angrily scrubbing a hand over her face as she vanished down the hall. Liara watched her carefully.

Irie had her arm around Evik, helping him to his feet. He seemed dazed, his lip split and blood spilling down his chin. Liara looked at him, and though her words were kind, she held herself stiffly, every bit as tense as her bondmate.

"Bring him inside, Irie."

"Is Bába-"

"Bába will be just fine. Bring him inside."

As Irie helped her woozy love up the steps and into the house, Liara nodded to him, her voice tersely neutral. "My apologies, Evik."

The young man held a hand over his chin to keep the blood from dribbling, giving Liara a faint nod as they passed, leaning on Irie as she helped him into the kitchen to clean his face.

In the study, Liara heard something heavy thump, followed by a muffled curse. Heading swiftly down the hall, Liara rushed into the room, praying Del wasn't actually going for her weapons.

She wasn't. Instead, she was pacing with agitated strides, one hand on her forehead and the other on her hip. The desk chair was lying nearby on its side. As Liara entered the human woman looked at her.

"You _knew_ this? She _told_ you?" Shepard asked, her voice low as she looked at her wife. "_Cao wo_, Liara!"

"Shepard-"

"A batarian? _Really_? The goddamn love of my daughter's life is a _goddamn __**batarian**_!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

The meld faded, Irie still holding him, with her head rested against his chest. Evik chuckled a little.

"I couldn't blame her," he said. "Given everything, I was grateful to only be greeted with a fist, and not a gun."

"Bába never would have shot you, Evik," she said, holding her arms around his waist and lifting her head enough to look in his eyes.

"No?" he smiled, showing he was teasing a little. "Our little 'vacation' sure had me wondering, sometimes."

After Del had calmed down and emerged from the bedroom she had been civil…incredibly stiff, but civil nonetheless, apologizing for having hit him. Still, that evening had been one of the longest and most tense of Irie's life…and it was not soothed when, out of the blue, Shepard had 'invited' Evik on a little getaway.

It was an invite only loosely defined as such simply because she'd actually used the word 'invite.' Everyone there knew it was less a request and more an order. Just Shepard, Evik, and two days in the wilderness on Sur'Kesh.

She wanted to get to know her future son-in-law, she said. The several rifles that she packed in their small transport when they prepared to depart had not done much to soothe Irie's worry- nor did the fact that they were not home at their appointed time.

When they _did_ come back, it was to the hospital. Evik was in surgery, his leg broken quite badly in two places. Del was in the waiting room when Irie and Liara arrived, battered and filthy and grinning widely, a dark bruise on her forehead and a cigar in her hand.

It seemed that their little getaway had not gone as planned. Sur'Kesh had vast tracts of pristine wilderness that Del had tromped through more than once. She knew the lay of the land, which plants were edible (they had brought rations but one could never be too careful), and what to watch out for.

What she hadn't been banking on was a massive earthquake.

Twenty four hours in, things were still tense between the human hero and the young batarian. Even so, Evik had just started to realize Del was not actually going to shoot him in the back and bury him in a shallow grave somewhere no one would ever find him- and unless he was totally insane, it even seemed she was warming up to him a little. Clearly, she was very protective over Irie- which was understandable. His species seemed just a slightly larger hiccup to overcome.

Still, he had faith. How many times had Irie told him that Shepard was not a hateful person, that she judged someone on their merits and not on the form in which they had been born? She had very good reasons to mistrust batarians, but she had also had very good reasons to mistrust the geth, yet had managed to befriend one and help the entire Consensus. Shepard might struggle with it, but in the end she would come to see Evik for Evik, and Irie had no doubt she would recognize the good, strong, and kind young man that he was.

The earthquake came as they crossed a ridge of rocky hills. Evik barely remembered it, coming to a woozy consciousness to find himself at the edge of a landslide, his leg badly broken, a fractured arm, and his omni-tool destroyed. With no sight or sound of Del anywhere in the vicinity, he managed to pull himself up to a higher vantage, climbing up a slope of broken rock and gravel over the space of two hours, trying to find her.

She was not as injured as he had been, and had come down on the other side of the ridge. When she'd finally found him he was still trying weakly to climb, and was half-delirious with exhaustion and pain. As she reached his side and looked at his leg, her attempt to shift it caused him to bellow in pain and slap her upside the head with his good arm. It was a pure reflex action, but the pair stared at each other in mutual shock in the wake of it.

"Just stay still," she finally told him, breaking the silence. "I'm not going to be the one to explain to my daughter why her future bondmate lost his goddamn leg."

"Oh, so you approve of me now?" he asked, exhaustion and pain making him more bitter than normally he would be.

"What's not to approve of?" she asked him with a grin. "You're a stubborn fuck with a hell of a lot of balls just coming out here to the edge of nowhere with me. Welcome to the family. Now hold still."

And that, as they said, was that. Despite his species, Shepard had regarded him as a friend from that moment on. By the time Irie and he were actually bonded, she had begun to view him as a son, and admitted as much to him during the reception.

He had been unable to come with Irie to see her before she passed, a guilty addition to the grief he now felt at her demise. Still, he had to be strong for Irie's sake. She needed him, and alive or dead, Del Shepard would never forgive him if he let her Little Nub down.

* * *

Melara had left the quarters they'd been given in search of her own much needed escape. Two hours after she'd been directed toward the small but well-stocked gym, she quietly returned , oiled with sweat, to find Irie alone in the main area. Her elder sister stood in an open door that lead to a wide veranda, leaning on the frame and singing softly to herself.

The asari had several hundred different laments that were traditionally sung at a Sending, each with its own meaning and history. Some laments mourned mothers. Some fathers. Some beloved sisters, and some children. Some mourned Justicars. Those who lived their lives for knowledge had a lament. Those who pursued medicine, or philosophy, had a lament. Those who fell in battle had a lament.

Most laments were ancient. Some were fairly modern. There was one lament that was older than most in memory, a song that was well known to the High Priestesses of Athame and the devotees of the Philosphy of Udesta. It had only been sung in ceremony once, for the slain Eriad Cantola. The first of the Justicars, Eriad had penned their Code, devoting her life eternally to the pursuit of justice.

She had grown under the watchful eye of Aswa V'Dess, the ruthless conqueror who had ruled nearly all of Thessia in her prime. She was raised from a young maiden to one of V'Dess's elite- devoted to philosophy, logic, and the deadly arts of war.

Though the family lines of Aswa's living children, both mothered _and_ fathered by her, were well documented, there were several Houses who believed the line of J'Faine descended from the blood of Cantola and V'Dess. The legend said that V'Dess fathered Nirki J'Faine unwittingly via ufete with Cantola. A rare happenstance of biology, the ufete was the only method under which an asari could become impregnated involuntarily, and it only happened when the Joining was between a very powerful, older asari and a young maiden.

Now understood to be an evolutionary quirk, in V'Dess's time a child conceived of an ufete was considered blessed of the Goddess, destined for greatness. Though no asari living nowadays believed in such a thing, there was still a bit of awe and mythical prestige that surrounded known lines or children produced by ufete.

The story went on to say that- finding herself pregnant with V'Dess's child and worried that the rising rebellion would seek to slay all of Aswa's heirs- Cantola fled to a remote village outside of Aswa's conquered lands. There, Nirki was born, given the false name of J'Faine to protect her, and delivered to others to raise. After Aswa was killed, Eriad sought vengeance and soon became consumed by it. Recognizing what she had become, she penned the Code and devoted the remainder of her life to nothing more than seeking the purity of justice. She taught others her Code, and when she passed on, she left the enduring legacy of the Justicars behind her.

Though her vengeance had been terrible, her Code and her subsequent work to restore justice to a world torn apart by the loss of the iron hand holding it tight, had allowed Thessia to recover and move along a path of enlightenment and knowledge that would last for generations.

The lament had been sung at her Sending, penned and sung by her Justicar sisters as her body had been given to the seas. Since that time, no other soul had been deemed worthy enough of its particular notes.

Until now.

The Priestesses of the Temple, the Assembled Matriarchs, and the Justicars Order had responded with swiftness to Irie's petition. She had requested permission to use the lament to mourn her father's passing. Normally such a request would be met with weeks of research and deep discussion- and invariably, after such a process, the answer would be 'no'. This time, when they heard the lament would be for Del Shepard, there was no pause, no discussion, and no question.

What Cantola had done was a deed far beyond herself. Borne from grief and selfless repentance, her actions rippled through the ages to resonate even now, beating with the heart of every Justicar that lived, echoing through millennia of knowledge, peace, and advancement.

What Shepard had done had, as well, spread far beyond the desperate actions of a single, brave soldier. The ripples of her fight would resound even a thousand asari generations beyond the present day. Her legends, as those of V'Dess and Cantola, would be told long eons after the rest of them had turned to dust. Though she was not asari, she was their savior, and had made herself of their blood, given them her honored name through her younger daughter. Irie had barely had to wait a full solar day for their response, and permission was honorably and unanimously granted.

Now, standing alone in the living area, looking out on the brilliant colors surrounding Sol's slow descent below the horizon, she faintly sang the sad notes of the lament, practicing for the coming morning.

Hearing it, Mel stood unnoticed only a few feet away, head lowered and eyes distant as she listened. When Irie trailed off, and then turned sharply, Mel stiffened a little, surprised by the abrupt motion.

Irie's wide eyes immediately grew gloss as her shoulders sagged a little, one hand pressing lightly to her chest. "Oh…Melara. I am sorry, you...have you been smoking?"

Mel felt her cheeks heat a little, and idly used the small towel around her neck to mop at her face. "Yeah…a bit."

"I was unaware you smoked." She knew that smell like the back of her hand. "Bába's cigars?"

Her younger sister said nothing, turning away and crossing toward a far door. Irie watched her sadly. They all had their own ways of letting go, she supposed.

For a moment- a single foolish moment, when that smell had brushed past her- Irie had imagined that Del stood behind her, about to reach out and put her hand on her shoulder.

_I'm so proud of you, Little Blue. _

"I am going to get a shower," Melara said as she walked away, gripping the small towel tightly in one hand. "Dae and the others should be here soon."

Irie watched her vanish into the bathroom, then lowered her head, covering her eyes with a shaking hand.

* * *

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

The _Normandy_ rested on the tarmac at Sao Miguel Paulista, the night defied by floodlights. As the cargo door lowered, Ashley walked down the ramp, eyeing the waiting group. There were several MPs, two corporals in full hard-suits and weapons (one of which, she noted, seemed no bigger than a child), and a blonde civilian woman clutching a data pad.

"What's going on?" Ashley asked as she reached level ground. "Where's Shepard?"

"Captain, N1 Corporal Anne Lane," the tiny marine said, saluting with a snap before she gestured at her companions. "This is N1 Corporal Ruijie Fu, and Dr. Jane Sundby."

"You're the one I'm escorting to the Anadius research base," Ashley stated, looking at the blonde.

"Colonel Shepard regrets she cannot be here, Captain," Lane continued before the blonde could reply. "We were ordered to debrief you nowhere but safely aboard the _Normandy._"

Ashley hid her concern as she nodded. Liara had told her little when requesting the _Normandy_'s help. She had assumed Del would be there to meet her and explain what was going on, but it didn't seem that was to be the case. Gesturing the three on board, she followed on their heels.

Apparently Sundby had never been on a frigate before- or perhaps it was the _Normandy_'s famous name that had her enthralled. Whatever the case, the civilian doctor was staring around the bay as she walked, the two marines staying stiffly at her elbows.

Ash's eyes narrowed. She knew a security detail when she saw one. The two N1 recruits- Del's trainees- were either guarding Sundby against threat…or they were guarding others against a threat _she_ posed.

A civilian doctor on a frigate, surrounded by trained marines and captained by a Spectre? No, it took no leap of logic to deduce that their purpose was to keep the doctor safe, and not because of any danger that may come from Sundby herself.

_Don't be so quick to judge, Ash_, she thought. _Osco was a scientist. Allers was a reporter. Both caused more than a small amount of harm to those around them. _

Still, if Sundby was a danger, then surely Del or even the N1s would have informed her of that before walking her right onto the _Normandy_?

They went up to the conference room, Ash's second in command joining them. James Vega looked carved out of stone, folding his arms as the door sealed. Almost immediately, Sundby plugged her data pad in to the conference table, and Del appeared.

The holograph was a recorded message, the Colonel standing an impressive two feet high in the center of the table.

Quickly, the image of Del outlined the situation, describing what Vasquez had said and their current conclusions. Then a few small planets appeared around her.

"These are the worlds where mineral rights have been requested," Del's image explained. "From what Liara has been able to discover so far, there's nothing particularly special or valuable about any of them. They hold no strategic location and do not promise any particular wealth of minerals. Certainly not any that would prompt trying to blackmail me with Tali's life in order to secure. Given Miranda's findings on Dr. Jevenar Kurat being one of the Orthrus mercs that attacked my daughter's recital, we're inclined to believe that whatever Orthrus's _true_ goals are, they revolve around the research at the Anadius base."

Though this was pre-recorded, she gestured behind her exactly at the blonde. "This is Dr. Jane Sundby. She's a leading astrophysicist who was, until recently, working at a civilian facility in Bangladesh. She is a former colleague of Dr. Kurat. Liara has tried to access the research on Anadius base remotely, but it seems Dr. Kurat may have hidden some of his findings on a private, non-networked system. We have been able to glean few answers, and are unsure of the true situation there. She has the best chance of decrypting any private files he may have and interpreting his research. Barring that, she can look over any data pulled from the Anadius system and perhaps find us a link that way."

As she spoke, the image of Shepard tugged on her left ear, then drew a finger across her throat. Ashley lifted a brow, then gestured at Vega. Though the _Normandy_ was one of the most secure vessels in existence, Shepard was clearly taking no chances. Wordlessly, Vega sent a message to EDI to ensure a complete record blackout of the conference room, including from her own monitoring surveillance, encrypted as it was. As soon as he got verification that the room was utterly secure, he nodded at Ash.

"Trusting that you have understood me," the Shepard recording said after a moment, "I will turn the remainder of this debrief over to Dr. Sundby."

The blonde civvie reached forward and deactivated the holograph. "Now," Sundby said calmly. "I can explain what we're _really_ going to do."

* * *

"You have my cooperation, Vasquez," Shepard said, her face angry and set. "But I'm not inclined to believe you're just going to release Tali. I have no guarantees."

Kenneth grinned around his cigar, hands clasped behind his back as he bounced eagerly on his toes. "That's exactly right. You don't. And so long as you don't, you won't behave foolishly and risk the Admiral's life."

"For all I know, she's _already dead_…and I have no reason _whatsoever_ to deal with you- no proof you even have this virus you're claiming."

"What are you proposing, Colonel?"

"We both know what this is really about, Vasquez. Not mineral rights, not some kind of galactic immunity. You want _me_. Fine. I'm done fucking around, and I want my friend _safe_. So, I'll tell you what. We're gonna trade, dong ma? Me for the quarian."

Kenneth leaned forward a little, interest clear on his face. "You would trade your own safety for hers?"

"In a goddamn heartbeat. If you don't know that already, Vasquez…you don't know a goddamn thing about me."

"How would that work, exactly?"

"Omega," Del told him. "Twenty four hours from now, in the Common. You got men in the shadows with snipers, I have the same. Tali and I walk right past each other…Tali goes home, and you have me. Anyone reneges and our snipers go to town."

"_Omega_!" Kenneth laughed. "Right in the nest of the Viper Queen? Oh, my dear…no. I think not."

"Then where?"

"The answer to that, Colonel, is hidden in the shadows of what I've already told you. Your wife is the Broker, is she not? Surely if she's worth her salt she can unravel these threads. If she finds the answer, be at that location at precisely…1400 local time tomorrow. We will surrender the admiral, and graciously accept you in exchange."

Dark eyes narrowed venomously. "And if we aren't there?"

"Then the admiral will…_no longer be there_, if you catch my meaning."

"You'd risk your only leverage?"

He laughed. "Hardly my _only_ leverage, just my _preferred_ one. If I am forced to kill the admiral, then we negotiate new terms- or your wife's name and…_occupation_…become public amongst a very dark crowd."

Shepard glared. He smiled.

"Find the location, and we'll see you at 1400 local time tomorrow. We'll have snipers. I so much as sniff a weapon on you or any resistance, and the quarian will be aired out from a thousand different directions. Further instructions will be available when you land. I suggest you follow them to the letter."

Shepard scowled, folding her arms as she thought. "_Fine_. Tomorrow, 1400. She had better _be_ there, chun, and without a scratch on her…or I'll be pinning your skin on my _wall_."

Taking his cigar from his mouth, he ran a finger over his chin, the nail scratching lightly over thin stubble. He smiled. "I have no doubt. You know, I don't know why people are inclined to think you nothing but brutish. I have found you quite sensible indeed."

"Go _fuck_ yourself, Vasquez."

He grinned. "I await tomorrow…as does Tali. Good evening…and _good hunting_, Colonel."

Reaching forward, he switched off the feed, the image of Shepard vanishing as he did so. Almost instantly his confident demeanor faded, and he took a series of deep, huffing draws on the cigar, swallowing nervously. Accessing another line, he looked up as another figure appeared etched in light in front of him.

"_Well?"_

"So far so good," he said, unable to keep a sycophantic whimper from his voice. "She's proposed the trade, precisely as we'd hoped. I gave her your response."

"Good. Our team will be there with the admiral."

"Are you sure they'll be able to figure it out? The location, I mean…"

"We have revealed precisely what we wished, leaving the proper clues hidden where an intellect of T'Soni's standards would easily discover them. They both know that the smallpox virus was a ruse- it was eradicated long before humans even discovered their relay. This has already made them suspicious. They also know you are not the power behind the quarian's disappearance, that this goes far beyond mere mineral rights or leverage for extortion. You have given her the final clue. She will look to those useless worlds again. She will find her answer…the second moon of Araxis, where we shall have our rendezvous tomorrow."

"Shepard will come, but she is clever, cunning. She won't just give up and trade herself. A…a fleet. She'll bring a fleet…she could eradicate your forces without-"

"If she thinks Shideh is there, she will not bombard it from orbit. She cannot fight her own nature, murder her friend. There will be a trade for Tali'Shideh."

The image seemed to pulse a moment eagerly.

"Iovino _will_ come."


	21. Chapter 21

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

It had taken Liara all of ten minutes to unravel Vasquez's little 'code', pinpointing the location of rendezvous. Five of those minutes were taken up with fast replaying everything he had said, and isolating anything that might have a double meaning.

In the end, he wasn't even that clever. The six useless planets with pending mining rights were called Ar, Ax12, I-19, and S-238B. Take away the numerical suffixes and that left Ar, Ax, I, S- Araxis.

The planet of Araxis was a gas giant- hardly a suitable rendezvous. However it had two moons, one of which was tiny and surrounded by an unbreathable, corrosive atmosphere. The second one was slightly smaller than Earth itself, had decent gravity and a good atmosphere. There was no indigent life, not even plant-based, but a quick moment of research showed there was an old slaver colony on the lower hemisphere. According to the Alliance, it had been abandoned for years after the slave base had been raided by authorities and shut down.

It was the perfect place for the rendezvous.

After making arrangements with Hackett for Irie and Melara's protection and placing a few quick calls, they were on their way toward the moon on a small, private ship captained by a very dear friend.

Liara looked over as Jack appeared in the doorway eighteen hours later, glancing into the passenger compartment at those gathered. "We're about to land, Blue," she said, then jerked her chin toward Del, who stood near the closed ramp way, her back to them. Near her were the rest of the Alliance N training class- fully hard-suited and armored up- and no fewer than four other biotics. By contrast, Del wore nothing but her uniform…she did not even have a weapon. "First drop, then I'll put down at the rendezvous point to let her off."

"They provided specific coordinates?" Liara asked.

"The moment we were in transmit range of the moon," Jack replied with a nod, folding her arms as she leaned on the wall. Though she bore a few new scars and some new ink, she looked more or less as she always had. Time had not yet put its full ravages upon her, it seemed. "You think they'll really give up Tali?"

"They will," Liara said with soft, but firm, conviction. "The others?"

"As planned."

The asari nodded, then headed over to where Shepard was standing. Her face set, Liara idly fiddled with straightening her uniform a bit as dark eyes studied her intently.

"We are ready," Liara said, feeling the soft bump as the ship landed.

"Understood."

The doors opened, exposing a rocky, dry landscape. The N1s headed off, followed by the biotics. The moment the last boot left the ship, they lifted off again, heading in toward the rendezvous. Liara and Jack were the only two to remain in the compartment with Del.

The second rendezvous was at the edge of the abandoned slaver facility. A flat expanse of land separated the ship from the half collapsed structures, and the wind moaned low as it whipped dust and dirt over the rock. Each side had cover, but Del and Tali would have to cross wide open ground- every inch of which, no doubt, was covered with snipers from either side.

Shepard stood in the shadow of the rocks on their end of the expanse, the wind whipping against her with the faint sting of blowing dust. Stoic, her dark eyes remained fixed on the far end of the valley. Liara and Jack were among the rocks just behind her.

Liara lit her omni-tool, lifting her wrist to her lips as she contacted Orthrus via the comm signal they had provided. "We are in position. We request visual confirmation of Tali'Shideh."

"_You shall have your visual of the admiral when we have ours of your trade,"_ a voice replied. _"Show us Shepard."_

"Very well. Ten seconds."

She nodded at Del, who paused only a few moments before she stepped away from the safety of the rocks and into the open. At the same moment, another distant form appeared outside the slaver base, a smudged shadow.

"Do we have verification?" Liara asked. N1 Ferai replied almost instantly.

"_We've got her in our scopes, doing a scan now. That's a confirmation- it is Admiral Shideh."_

"Is she all right? Does she look injured?" Liara asked in worry.

"_She does not appear to be injured."_

"All right," she changed channels. "Are you satisfied?"

"_We are."_

"Good. Then we exchange on my mark. Three…two…one…mark."

Del and Tali both started forward at the same time, walking out into the open air, lit brilliantly by the low golden light of a sharp, pre-evening sun. The only sound was the low static of the wind and the sound of their footsteps, echoing in the wake of their elongated shadows.

As they neared each other, Tali's luminescent eyes fixed on Del from behind her facemask, and she paused slightly, her voice trembling. "Shepard…"

"Keep moving," Del replied. As they passed each other, their hands reached out a moment, fingers brushing past each other's lightly.

They kept walking. Five steps, then ten, then fifteen- Tali drawing closer to the rocks and Shepard toward the base.

Then a shot rang out, a sharp, high slap that rang back and forth across stone. A hole was punched through the center of Shepard's chest, exploding out her back. She stumbled back a step, a second and then a third shot swiftly following.

The second took her in the forehead, the third in the temple as her head twisted to the right. The fourth caught an arm as she began to fall, the final shot whipping through the thick of her thigh. She fell in a boneless heap…a marionette with its strings cut.

Tali had whirled on the first shot, watching with wide, horrified eyes. As the first strangled cry escaped her, a curtain of shimmering blue fell around her.

Then there was more gunfire, erupting from nearly everywhere. The biotic field pulled Tali backward even as she struggled to rush forward, trying to reach her fallen friend. As arms took hold of her, pulling her into the protection of the rock face, she saw dozens of forms swarming out of seeming nowhere, descending on the slaver base.

"_No!_" She gasped, sobbing, trying to pull away from the arms restraining her. "No, _Shepard_…!"

"_Tali!_ Tali, _shh_! Shepard is fine!"

It was Liara. Tali looked at her with miserable bewilderment, stumbling a bit as the asari urged her toward the waiting ship. Jack was there, too, prodding them along and holding a biotic bubble overhead.

"Wh-what?"

"That was not Shepard!" Liara said breathlessly as they reached the ramp. The ship closed on their heels and Jack ran past up toward the helm, shouting orders.

Liara sat Tali down on a bench, looking her over with a concerned wrinkle to her brow. Tali was shaking, but seemed physically unharmed.

"Wasn't…that _wasn't_…?"

Liara took the sides of her helmet lightly, looking at her intently. "That was _not Shepard_. It was a synthetic chassis driven with a Shepard VI…compliments of EDI and some very quick alteration and disguise work."

Relief thundered through the quarian, making her feel weak a moment. "Oh, _Keelah_…thank the stars. You…you knew they would try to kill her? I thought they wanted her alive-?"

"No, but we did know that as soon as she got close enough, scans would reveal she was not the _real_ Del Shepard. Apparently, they did not take that revelation kindly. I am sorry that it frightened you, but we had little choice. We had to get you safe."

"D-Deefa and Micah-"

"Your husband and daughter are fine. Micah was knocked out but received no permanent injury. Deefa was completely unharmed."

Tali let out another breath of relief. "They wouldn't tell me…not a word. They hardly spoke to me. I didn't know if my family was even alive-"

"Did they hurt you?"

"N-No. I was just…locked in a room. They took this suit from my house as well, made sure I put it on before they locked me up. They provided food, but never said a word to me. I overheard a few distant conversations but nothing really telling. The name Orthrus-"

"That is what this group calls themselves. They attempted to take Irie at her recital. When that failed, they took you instead."

"Just because they wanted Shepard?"

"We are not entirely sure _what_ their motivation is at this point, but it does seem Shepard is at the crux of it. We proposed the hostage exchange and EDI provided the chassis upon our request. It took little doing to make her present exactly as Shepard…so long as she did not talk too much or vary beyond a simple program. With any luck, perhaps the Ns or the rachni will be able to capture an agent here alive, and we can get some answers."

Ten minutes later, Jack reappeared in the compartment. "Fight's over. We took the ruins. She ok?"

"She's just fine," Tali replied dryly. "It is good to see you too, Jack."

"_Course_ it is," Jack replied with a snort, but couldn't entirely hide the faint smile she had.

"Did we get any prisoners? Do we have any of them alive?" Liara asked.

"They put up a hell of a fight, but according to Bax they've got one. He's hurt bad, but he's able to talk. Thought you might want to go press him."

"Bax…where is Shepard?" Tali asked, confused. Her assumption- after learning that it hadn't been the real Shepard out on that field- was that Del was leading the charge to take the base.

"Shepard is not here," Liara said. "I will explain more of that later. For now, I want to see what we can learn from our prisoner."

"I'm coming too," Tali said firmly, getting to her feet. Liara automatically caught her elbow.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Liara, really…just a bit shaken up. These bosh'tets broke into my home. I'd like some answers as well."

* * *

Two of the N1s- Chen and Singleton- were waiting as they stepped off the ship again. As they escorted them toward the base, they could see clusters of rachni. A large one broke off from the main body and headed their way. Liara smiled, reaching out a hand and taking an offered appendage.

"Riot, it is _good_ to see you again," she said to the now fully grown (and rather massive) Rachni queen. Though she had come into her maturity, Riot still bore the ragged scars of the final battle for Earth on her carapace, the worst of them around where her missing leg should have been.

**IT IS GOOD TO SEE MY FRIEND AGAIN AS WELL**, Riot replied with cheerful swirls of song and color.

"Thank you for your help. We appreciate your prompt response."

**FOR YOU AND FOR SHEPARD, WE WILL ALWAYS COME**.

Riot herself could not fit within the ruined base, but several of her much smaller drone soldiers had done so, and were waiting guard around a center area. The bodies of mercs and snipers lay here and there, and someone had dragged the destroyed 'Shepard' synthetic inside. It was propped against the edge of the doorway. Blank eyes stared past them, its ruined head a clog of black and brown lubrication fluid and tortured biocircuitry. Tali shuddered a little as they passed it, but Liara didn't so much as give it a glance.

The wounded soldier- a human man- was sitting on the floor, back against a wall. Nearly a dozen weapons were aimed at him, but Tali didn't think he'd be trying anything soon. His color was pale gray, sheened with sweat. He did an admirable job of not showing how much pain he was in, but the tautness at his lips and the corners of his eyes betrayed him.

From what she could see, he'd been shot at least twice. His hand was over one of the holes in the chest of his hard-suit. The other wound appeared to have taken out his knee.

As Liara approached, he looked up at her, lips spreading into a grimace…or a smile. "Dr. T'Soni…it's nice to see you again."

She looked startled. "You…you are Dr. Padrik Vehn!"

"He's a colleague of yours?" Singleton asked, surprised.

"Was, years ago. I did some work with him as I was establishing my customer base on Ilium. He is a renowned mathematician. Like Dr. Kurat, he was part of the Anadius research group."

"Well, he's gonna tell us how a numbers geek got it into his head to be a merc," Jack said, crouching near to him. "Or else we're going to reintroduce him to the concept of _pain_."

Reaching out, she pushed on his wounded leg, and he hissed a growl, baring his teeth in agony before she let up.

"Why did you and Dr. Kurat join Orthrus?" Liara asked. "What is your interest in Del Shepard? What are your plans?"

"We're under orders," he said with a sick, languid smile.

"Orders from _whom_?"

He laughed faintly, replying in an almost whispered sing-song. "Iovino must face her crimes."

Liara went still, eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly. "How do you know the name Iovino?"

He laughed again, but she could see his eyes fluttering to half-mast. He was bleeding badly. "You're so clever, Dr. T'Soni. He's clever too, you know. Much more clever than I'd expect from one of _them_-"

"One of whom?"

"-but then, one thing I have learned about life…it is full of _endless_ wonder and surprise. It was a surprise that you brought a fake puppet Shepard to this rendezvous…but not as big of one as you might think. Cause and effect, Liara. There is more than one way to snag your prey, and even now she's bolting right for our rabbit hole."

"Guy is a fucking loon," Jack said in irritation.

"There is another trap, isn't there," Liara said quietly. "That is what you mean. This was only _one_…if Del came and kept her part of the bargain, then you had her. If not, then it did not matter if you surrendered Tali because…you _still_ had her."

"Down, down the rabbit hole, Liara," he said, eyes almost closed. "The vorpal blade goes snicker-snack, and the Red Queen gets her _final_ pound of flesh."

As he died his grin only grew the wider, the last flutter of his lashes punctuating the words riding on his dying breath.

"_Off goes her head…"_

* * *

The Anadius Research Station was a rather large mobile observation platform that was visible the moment they left the relay. It was still a two hour FTL flight from that relay to what had once been the Anadius red giant, and a thirty minute FTL flight before you started entering the equatorial ergosphere, but quarantines prevented anyone from venturing any closer to it than the station.

Dr. Sanjay Hewitt smiled as Sundby stepped through the airlock, flanked by the two N1 marines and what appeared to be a synthetic. He bobbed his head happily, holding his hand out for the blonde to take.

"Dr. Sundby, we are honored to have you here but…a bit _puzzled_ as to your presence, and that of the Alliance. Are we in some danger?"

She smiled. "We have no reason to suspect that, Dr. Hewitt. However there has been some unpleasantness on Earth that may be related to Dr. Kurat, and possibly to his research. When was the last time you spoke to him?"

He blinked. "Jevenar? Oh, let me think. It has been about…well, nearly two months now, I think it was. Not since he and Padrik went to follow up on the unusual accretion signatures we've been reading."

"Padrik? That would be Padrik Vehn, the mathematician on the team?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Do you mind if we see Dr. Kurat's office?" she asked.

"No, of course not. Please, this way."

As they followed him down a corridor, Sundby looked around carefully. "You said that they were following up on some unusual accretion signatures?"

"Indeed. Anadius, as you probably know, is an absolutely unique phenomenon. Not only is it an opportunity to research a newly born black hole- something that has never really been done in the whole of recorded galactic history- its creation itself is unprecedented. I'm…assuming you're familiar with the research?"

Sundby nodded, but the smaller of the two marines silently shadowing them shook her head. "Not all of us are eggheads," she said. Hewitt blinked at her in surprise, but it was EDI who spoke.

"The Anadius black hole was created when Colonel Shepard- then a captain- set off an ancient artifact that was designed to hold and disperse dark energy. Unknown to her, the device was charged with enormous amounts of energy at the time that she released it in the element zero core of the Cronos station. The resultant explosion and feedback loop of dark energy collapsed the Anadius red giant, creating a black hole."

"Yes, exactly. It, in fact, demonstrates that a large enough application of dark energy in a focused area can cause _unimaginable_ damage. A release of two, perhaps three times the size of the one that created this black hole could- _theoretically_- punch a hole through the very fabric of space-time and unravel the molecular essence of the universe. Again..._theoretically_. Unfortunately or…_fortunately_, perhaps…the device is irretrievable."

"I would think it would have been destroyed by the mass of the black hole," Sundby said, surprised.

"Yes, and that remains a possibility, however some of our findings indicate that the device may _still_ be functioning within the ergosphere of the phenomenon, and may be responsible for the odd signatures emanating from the accretion disc."

"That was what Kurat and Vehn were working on?" Sundby asked.

"Yes. Ah, here is the office."

He let them into one of the labs, gesturing at the dormant equipment. "All their research should be recorded on the mainframe."

"Is it a networked connection?" Sundby asked, eyeing him.

"Yes, of course. Full reports are sent automatically to the Alliance on all our findings…which is why I find it surprising that you- and _they_- are here."

"Did he have private records? Journals, a personal hub…something that would be stand alone, not networked in?"

"I would be against regulations, and he had no such items as far as I'm aware but…if he did, they would most likely be in his living quarters."

"Ok. EDI, if you would please look through these databases, see what you can find? Dr. Hewitt, if you could show me where his living quarters are?"

"Yes, right this way."

They left EDI and the marines in the main lab, Hewitt leading Sundby to Kurat's personal rooms. They were neatly maintained, though it was clear their occupant had not been in them for some time. However, personal effects and other items told that the occupant had, in fact, intended to return after a short while.

She looked around, spotting a personal console and heading over. A quick examination showed it, too, was tied into the mainframe and therefore likely not to be what she was looking for. As she poked around, her back to Hewitt, he shut the door, watching her with a careful wariness and wiping a thin sheen of sweat off his upper lip.

"What did they find about the signatures?" she asked, not looking over at him as she sought for anything that might even theoretically be a private data stash. "Why depart the station to follow up?"

"Well, as I said, the signatures were highly unique…like nothing we've ever seen before. Dr. Kurat became excited one afternoon when he discovered the same pattern of signature radiating weakly from a desolate world somewhere out on the edge. He was convinced that a device similar to the one that caused this black hole might be buried on that world. He and Dr. Vehn went to investigate."

"_Another_ device?" she asked, momentarily glancing at him.

"Or one like it," he said with a helpless shrug. "The artifact that triggered Anadius was a thin, metallic belt…or chain. No longer than two meters and less than an inch in diameter. Even were it highly radiative it is unlikely an object of a similar size and mass would emit a strong enough signature on its own to be read from light years away. The only reason we can read the signature from the first device is because the radiation is being magnified by its continuing, stable, dark energy dispersion. That is why we are convinced it is still intact just outside the event horizon, rather than lost in the mass of the hole itself."

"So if it isn't a similar device per se, it was his belief that it might at least be similar technology?"

She had continued to look around, and spotting the edge of some kind of footlocker beneath the neatly made bed, she went down on a knee and fished for it, sliding it out.

"Yes, precisely. From what we know, the Anadius device is contemporary with or even _predates_ the Citadel and relay system. Finding any other technology of a like kind would be an astronomical discovery."

"Yet, only two of you went to investigate?" she asked, lifting the locker and putting it on the bed as she fiddled with the controls. "Without informing the Alliance, setting up a full recognizance team? Seems foolhardy to me-"

She broke off as Dr. Hewitt's arms swung around her from behind, pinning hers to her side. At almost the same moment, the door slid open, a pair of station security entering with their weapons raised.

"I am sorry, Dr. Sundby," Hewitt hissed in her ear, " but I _cannot_ allow you to interfere-"

He broke off as the back of her head cracked with brutal force into his nose. Pain exploded in his skull accompanying a brilliant flash of white light, and he fell backward, losing his hold on her. Half-blind for a few seconds, he turned and scrambled along the ground, staring wide-eyed over his ruined nose.

The moment he'd hit the ground the two security grunts had moved in. One swung at the blonde only to miss as she easily ducked under his blow, caught his arm, and wrenched. It broke with an audible crack and she drove his head into the wall in almost the same motion. Spinning, her foot caught the second man in the face. He crashed back and she advanced, grabbing him before he could recover and palming his head against the ground. He went limp.

"I…I d-don't-" Hewitt stammered, staring at her in horror as she walked toward him.

"Next time, you might ask for _actual_ Alliance marines as interior security instead of hired civvie grunts," she said. Crouching in front of him she reached out and gripped his broken nose between two of her knuckles. He bellowed, shoving back against the wall, but there was nowhere for him to go. She twisted his nose back the other way and he roared again, flailing at her hand.

"_Stop_! _Stop, please_! I beg of you!" His voice was a thick, desperate wheeze.

She stopped the twisting but still held on, glaring into his face. "Are you going to answer my questions?"

"Those m-men…you just…"

"Yes, I did _just_. And you will be next if you don't cooperate."

"_Anything_! I'll tell you anything you want to know!"

"It wasn't just Vehn and Kurat that went to investigate this odd signature on that distant world, was it? You went as well. Who else?"

"J-just us three-"

She twisted and he wailed. "_Just us three_! I _swear_!"

Tears were streaming down his reddened face, snot mingled with blood flowing out of his nose whenever the vice grip she held loosened even slightly.

"What did you find there?"

"I don't r-remember-" A twist and a shriek. "I don't remember! _**IsweartoGodIdon'tremember!**_"

"Tell me what you _do_ remember!"

"There was a cave, an ancient mine I th-th-think. When we got to the entrance it was like it…it c-called to us-"

"What?"

"I d-d-don't know. It's…it's like a bad dream. I…th-there were others there, people. S-Some vorcha, I think and…b-b-batarians-"

"_Batarians_? You're sure?"

"Y-yes, I-I-I think so. B-batarians. And the R-R-Red Queen…" He moaned. "Whenever I try to think about it, I just h-hear the R-R-Red Queen…"

"The Red Queen? What does this 'Red Queen' want? What does she tell you?"

"O-o-off with her head," he said weakly, mouth hanging open as he tried to breathe. "Off with her head…Iovino…"

Her blue eyes narrowed and she released his nose. He gasped, the sound thick and wet, and cradled his face.

"What world was this mine on? What world were you getting the odd signature from?"

He moaned into his hands. When he didn't answer, she snatched out and grabbed his ear, giving it as hard a twist as she'd done his nose.

"_What world_?"

"Rakhana!" he said with a shriek, snorting desperately. "_Rakhana_! _The Queen is on Rakhana_!"


	22. Chapter 22

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

Ash walked up as Sundby and the others re-entered the _Normandy_, one of the N1's holding a cuffed and only half-coherent egghead who looked like he'd been worked over by a krogan. She grimaced a bit as blood dripped on her floor.

"Get him down to the infirmary," she said, before fixing Sundby with a look. "I take it he sang like a robin?"

"He needed some encouraging," the blonde replied.

"I see. Well, I have some _more_ encouraging news. Liara's waiting to talk to you over the QEC in the conference room. EDI, I want you in there too."

The four of them- Ash, Sundby, Lane, and EDI- headed toward the conference room, Ash directing EDI to re-secure the room for confidentiality before nodding to Sundby to access the call. Immediately, Liara's small holographic form appeared over the table.

"I have good news," she said. "We were able to recover Tali safely. EDI, I am sorry but I am afraid your spare chassis is beyond repair."

"I can easily procure the required elements to construct a replacement. I trust it fulfilled its purpose admirably?" EDI asked.

"Enough for us to get Tali to safety unharmed," Liara said.

"She's all right?" Sundby asked. "Really all right?"

"Beyond being a little rattled, she is just fine," Liara said. "We were able to question one of the remaining mercs before he succumbed to his wounds. I recognized him. His name was Dr. Padrik Vehn."

"Also from this research station," Sundby said with a nod. "We have detained Dr. Hewitt, after he attempted to detain _me_. He informed me that he and the other two had departed the station a couple of months ago in an attempt to locate an unusual energy signature that matched one they found in the accretion disk of the Anadius phenomenon. They believed it would lead them to technology contemporary to the Cinch device."

"Did he say what they found?"

Sundby shrugged. "He said they found a mine or a cave, that some batarians and others were already there, and then started spouting off some insane drivel having to do with _Alice in Wonderland_. The Red Queen-"

"Off with her head," Liara replied softly. Sundby raised a brow.

"I take it your fellow rambled much the same?"

"Yes. I immediately began a search on the words that he used, and came upon quotations from the ancient Earth author Lewis Carroll and his works on Wonderland. I did not read much of them but from what I could glean, it is apparent that this Carroll should have had some professional mental therapy and guidance. I do not believe he was well."

Sundby smiled a little. "Well, that's a debate for later. What I want to know is why these two are quoting him."

"They have made an error," EDI said. When the others looked at her, she said, "If both men made reference to the Red Queen and then quoted, 'off with her head', they have made an error. It was the Queen of Hearts who was fond of decapitation. The Red Queen did not appear until Carroll penned _Through the Looking Glass_, and she was an anthropomorphized chess piece. They are distinct and separate characters."

"We have no way of knowing if such a distinction is important at the moment," Liara said. "What I am more concerned about is that their behavior is far too close to indoctrination to be of comfort…and that Vehn knew the name 'Iovino.'"

"The Reapers are _gone_," Ashley said with almost firm irritation. "Nearly every military out there has scoured for the last fifteen years trying to find any that might have escaped. The last one was found and destroyed _years_ ago, and there are no signs that any others survived. All of the indoctrinated that weren't outright husked regained their own minds."

"I do not believe that the Reapers are involved in this," Liara said. "However, the Cinch used at Anadius was either contemporary to -or shortly predated- the relay and Citadel, items we now know may in fact also predate the Reapers _themselves_. If this odd signal lead the three researches to a new source of such technology, that tech may have been built by the very hands that constructed the Reapers and set in motion the Cycle of Extermination. It may very well be able to 'indoctrinate' in a like manner."

"Hewitt was kind enough to give me a location as to where this signal they were tracking originated from: Rakhana."

"The drell home world?" Liara looked surprised. "Rakhana is a dead planet, even more ravaged than Tuchanka. There is no longer an appreciable atmosphere, and the world itself is torn by enormous tectonic shifts, resulting in earthquakes and volcanos. If there is ancient technology somewhere on or under her surface, it is amazing it has endured intact."

"Even so, we've got to head there," Sundby said. "If other tech like the Cinch exists, then we definitely don't want it to remain in the wrong hands."

"The other trap…" Liara said softly. Sundby lifted a brow.

"I'm sorry?"

"The attempt on Irie, Tali's kidnapping- these were to lure 'Iovino' into a trap. However, in case it failed, they had a back-up plan. A way to bring the 'Killer of Galaxies' to exactly where they wanted her."

Sundby narrowed her blue eyes, then nodded. "Then _this_ is now moot."

Reaching up she took hold of an almost invisible seam at her hairline, gently peeling the synthetic skin prosthesis off her face. As it pulled free, it revealed burn scars. Padded areas of the prosthetic changed the shape of cheekbones, chin ,nose.

Shepard looked at the false face in her hands, then shook her head. "Goodbye, Dr. Sundby."

The good doctor- invented by Liara and verified by every document she could plant on the extranet with her Broker resources- had served her purpose. They wanted Orthrus to be completely unaware that the synthetic on Araxis was not the real Shepard- at least till the last possible moment. It offered them the best chance to get Tali back safely, and allow Shepard herself to investigate the Anadius station without ambush, and pick up any leads there that might explain Dr. Kurat's odd new choice of occupation.

While Del trusted Ash and those of her crew still on the _Normandy_, they had to take in account how Orthrus had infiltrated numerous criminal organizations undiscovered, and how they had found the information that Liara was the Shadow Broker. They couldn't take even the smallest chance that someone aboard the ship was a spy.

Now, Orthrus knew exactly where Del was heading. Keeping up such a pretense was pointless. They would wait for her to come to them.

The blonde hair and blue eyes had been physically altered by a cosmetologist. The eyes were a color fill that would have to be removed- Shepard didn't have the means to do so herself. The length of her new hair was thanks to chemically bonding strands to her own natural growth. She could get it cut at her convenience but the color itself would just have to eventually grow out, or be dyed.

"Hang on, Skipper," Ashley said. She was unsurprised by the transformation, Del having filled her in on who she really was during their first debriefing. "We know there'll be a trap waiting for you at Rakhana. There's got to be a better way to do this."

"The answer to all of this is on that planet," Shepard said. "The Cinch was deadly enough to form a black hole, Ash. Any other technology of that kind could be even _more_ catastrophic."

"We've only got the word of a lunatic that anything of the kind even exists-"

"Which is why the _Normandy_ is going to do a scan of the planet and verify the same anomalous energy signature that they found in the accretion disc."

"If you insist on going to Rakhana you are not going alone," Liara said sternly. "We shall rendezvous with you there."

"That's fine, Tianlán, but without really knowing what's waiting for us, I can't risk an entire platoon hitting that planet. We don't know what Orthrus intends, don't know what they have at their disposal, and setting them off with heavy numbers coming at them could have incredibly dangerous consequences. I'll see what else we can get from Hewitt, and we'll plan accordingly- but if it comes down to it, I _will_ go to the surface alone."

"See what you can discover from Hewitt," Liara said, her tone firm. "We shall discuss the size of the landing party _in person_. T'Soni out."

* * *

Blonde or no, in a proper uniform and bearing a stern scowl on her scarred face, Del was every inch as intimidating as she had ever been. Hewitt had been treated in the infirmary and now sat in the _Normandy_'s brig, small and bowed like a child waiting to be punished.

"Tell me more about this cave you found," she said.

"The signal lead right to it," he replied. His voice was still thick and stuffy, though his broken nose had been treated and repaired. "Nothing remarkable about the cave itself…just a lopsided crack in the rock-face. It was very near a fault line, and looked like it had been exposed by a quake. Th-there were guards-"

"Guards?"

"Yes, men at the entrance with rifles. Sentries. By the time we saw them it was too late. A patrol came upon us. M-most batarian. Some human w-with these weird silver lines on their faces. They didn't say a word, just pointed their guns at us, bound our wrists, and took us into the cave."

"These 'lines' on the humans. Did they look like metal threads?"

"Y-yes…they were kind of, just…growing out of the edges of their eyes, or from their temples. Spreading out like veins."

Del knew who those men were. Shiva indoctrinated- former Cerberus who had been experimented on and then vanished when the Illusive Man was killed. With Shiva's control gone, they were clearly not under that particular influence any more, but there was no telling what kind of damage their minds had undergone.

The batarians were another issue. Over ninety-five percent of their people had been killed when the Reapers first entered the Milky Way. The remnants were incredibly scattered and seemed to keep to themselves- the ones that _weren't_ trying to kill Del for destroying the Bahak system, anyway.

"Go on."

"The cavern was at least a couple of kilometers deep. At times it was so narrow we could only go single file. It sloped a bit now and again, and volcanic glass made the footing slippery. A-about halfway, the natural stone gave way to…to architecture. It was horribly worn, and the rock had grown through in many places, b-but I could see the even lines, the construction. Th-then the c-cave at the end…"

He seemed to get more distressed as he talked, breaking off when he started trembling, shaking his head frantically. "I d-don't remember, I don't know, it…the Red Queen, the Red Queen…she's…she's through the glass. Off with her head! Iovino…b-b-betray-…"

He broke down, started sobbing. No matter how she asked, pressed, or even threatened him, he gave her nothing more than stammers and sobs and great whooping breaths. Finally, she had the medic come in and sedate him.

'Through the glass' and the initial description of the cavern were the only new bits of intel she'd gotten. 'Through the glass' itself seemed to only be another inexplicable reference to _Alice in Wonderland_.

_The only way we're going to find out any more is to go down the rabbit hole ourselves_, she thought as she went to inform Liara of what Hewitt had said.

The _Normandy_ had already set course for Rakhana. According to her wife, they were also on their way. Tali had contacted her family, tearfully assuring her husband that she was fine and safe, and that she'd be home soon. In the meantime, she was along with them for the ride, refusing any alternate transport back to Rannoch.

Just past the relay, the three ships rendezvoused- the _Normandy_, Jack's _Banter_, and Riot's command ship, which was ten times the size of the others. The _Banter_ and the _Normandy_ connected at their airlocks, and Liara was over to the other ship immediately, with Tali and the N1s on her heels. Shepard instantly hugged the quarian tight, reassuring herself that her Mei Mei was just fine.

The reunion was necessarily brief, and they immediately set themselves to planning their next move.

"According to Hewitt, the cavern sounds like just a natural crack in Rakhana's crust, opened by a quake and joining purely by accident to the much deeper, artificially formed structure," Shepard told them. "Whenever it comes to describing what happened after he entered this chamber, he reduces to blubbering and repeating nonsense about _Alice in Wonderland_."

"We have verified the odd energy signature," Liara said. "It is weak but it is also shielded by radiation, atmospheric disturbance, and apparently nearly two kilometers of rock and dirt. Taking into account that sort of dampening, we are looking at a source roughly two hundred times the size of the Cinch. It is clear some sort of indoctrination is taking place."

"Hewitt described humans with Shiva's biocybernetic threading," Shepard said. "As well as batarians."

Liara's brow wrinkled in thought. "It could be that previously indoctrinated individuals, released from the source of their original control, remain incredibly sensitive to alternate forms of similar control. I have pulled medical reports from around the galaxy, and most of those we can verify were released from the Reaper's control, continue to suffer anxieties, neurological imbalances, and seem highly susceptible to suggestion. That stands true for former Cerberus who underwent Shiva alterations as well."

"What does that mean?" Tali asked.

"It means that it is possible a small group of ex-Cerberus hid on Rakhana in an attempt to avoid justice, after the war ended. Being a hostile world there are few that would look for them in such a place. There, they accidentally encountered the source of this strange energy signature, and found themselves almost immediately and quite efficiently under its sway."

"What about Hewitt and his two buddies from Anadius," Ashley asked. "They went through extensive vetting before being put on that project. If they'd been among the indoctrinated, it'd be known, and they wouldn't have been within a thousand light years of _any_ important research station."

Liara nodded. "That is where the theory breaks down. I looked into their histories myself, and none of the three were ever under coercion…by the Reapers _or _Shiva. Then again, Orthrus is not strictly human as Cerberus was. Among those that attacked the recital and those on Araxis were vorcha, turians, and drell. It is possible- even likely- that the converted Cerberus agents recruited others…brought them to Rakhana and the source of their control, holding them there for a short period of time until its influence could convert them as well."

"Which means that anyone that goes into that cave runs the risk of being 'converted' just like they were," Tali said.

"Fuck it," Lane spoke up. She'd been standing with Bax and Fu nearby, silently listening. As eyes turned to her she said, "They don't have a hostage down there. Between the _Normandy_ and the rachni ship there's more than enough firepower, and a fault line right near the source of that signal. Few well-placed shots and the whole place is a lava pool for a hundred kilometers."

Tali looked at Del. "I can see why she's your protégée, Jie Jie. She likes making big explosions."

"Well, why not? So far that's the best idea I've heard all day," Ash said. "Send hell down on them and walk away."

Shepard scowled thoughtfully a moment, then shook her head. "No. We can't risk it. Without knowing what this tech is, exactly, we don't know what will happen if we try and destroy it. It's two hundred times bigger than that Cinch, and _that_ was enough to destroy a star and its system."

"So we just go down there? Knock on their door and say 'hey?'"

"They want _me_," Shepard said firmly. "And _I_ want _answers_. How did they find out that Liara is who she is? Where the fuck did they get the name Iovino? And how can I safely bury the goddamn lot of them and this mysterious 'Red Queen' under ten billion gallons of molten rock?"

"Del, you can't just walk in there and-"

"Fuck that," Shepard said angrily. "They threatened my family, kidnapped Tali, and fuck only knows what _else_ they have up their sleeve-"

"_Exactly_ Shepard," Tali said firmly. "You have a family now. Daughters. You can't just throw yourself into the fire and hope you can beat your way out of it!"

"What other option do we really have?" Del asked. "We can't do a full on assault, it's too far underground and with too narrow a passageway. We can't blow it from orbit until we know exactly what we're dealing with, and we certainly can't just ignore it."

"I refuse to believe we have no other option than just you giving yourself up and hoping for the best," Liara said heatedly.

Del sighed and wiped a hand over her face. "No, that's not going to happen either, but we need to risk as few as is possible."

"I am going with you," Liara and Tali both said in unison. Shepard blinked at them, then shook her head.

"No. Li, _no_. If something happens I don't want Mel and Irie losing _both_ their-"

"I am _not_ staying behind! If nothing else, my expertise may be vital down there."

"She _is_ the archaeologist, Shepard," Ash told her. "Not to mention the smartest person I know."

Shepard's glare could have cut steel, but Ash didn't so much as blink under the weight of it, defying Del to tell her she was wrong. A silent argument passed between them before Shepard sighed angrily and straightened.

"All right, here's what I propose. Myself, Lane, and Liara will go down-"

"Shepard-" Tali started to protest.

"Mei Mei, do _not_ make me order Ash to throw you in the goddamn brig!"

Tali's mouth shut with an audible click, but her glower of frustration did not abate.

"Myself, Lane, and Liara will go down," Shepard repeated firmly. "Ashley, you and the rest of the N class will shadow us down. Stay close enough for a signal but do not encroach until you get that signal or the shit hits the fan. The rachni can stand by and cover our exit. If for any reason this mission fails or the appropriate signal is sent by me, the ships will hit that fault line and take out the whole area. Is that understood?"

There was a general murmur of assent. She nodded again. "All right. We have two hours until we reach Rakhana. We have that long to make sure we've taken every measure to get out of there again intact and with our brains unscrambled. Let's get to it people."

* * *

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

Night had fallen on New York, but the famous 'city that never sleeps' was more than living up to its name. For days now, the city had seen a massive influx of people from every species, all desiring to at least catch a glimpse of the funeral procession the following morning and the honor of paying their respects in person as much as they were able. Authorities and hospitality workers were putting in overtime to make sure everyone was housed, fed, and kept in order.

Liara could see none of it from their appointed quarters. Their view looked out high over the city, which from this vantage seemed almost still and peaceful, glittering in the black like jewels set on ebony cloth.

Mel had arranged for food to be sent up and they had eaten the best they could. Liara barely made a pretense of her own efforts, and her daughters didn't press her overmuch.

Mel's omni-tool lit just as they finished clearing things, and she tapped it. "Dae and the others are here," she said, immediately heading for the door. Liara didn't turn around until she heard the heavy tread of boots on the polished floor.

Grunt's sky blue eyes fixed on her as he entered, now a mature and robust krogan male just entering his prime. He had been scarred badly in the War, tears across his face pulling his lip up on that side and making him seem to eternally sneer. Behind him came a pair of half-grown krogan- both boys, and both with those same sky blue eyes.

Grunt's eldest, Shep and Dug.

Liara parted from the window and she walked over as Grunt came to meet her, the two wordlessly embracing. In truth, Grunt had always been Del's first child. She'd made herself his role-model and mentor, and she was the closest to a mother he had ever come. He would hide it well, being krogan, but she knew that this was hitting him just as hard as it was Irie and Melara.

"It's good to see you again, Blue," he said affably, but his big hand on her back was gentle.

"Solus did not come?" she asked, inquiring after Wrex's boy. Solus had been born almost immediately following the cure of the genophage, with only the length of the average krogan gestational period to separate the two events. Since his father's death, Solus had become one of the most commanding and respected voices in Krogan government.

"He's here," Grunt said, releasing her. "Figured he didn't want to crowd you too much. That, and I think he spotted a cute asari wandering past. Huh. With the Genophage cured I never saw the appeal of asari over a good krogan woman- no offense, Blue."

"None taken," she said with a smile she did not feel on her face. "I am glad you are here, Grunt."

He looked at her seriously. "She was my battlemaster…and the greatest friend I ever had. It is my honor to shout her deeds with my brothers until the very heavens shake. If there is a life after this one, they will hear our voices and know the greatest warrior ever to walk the stars is coming to beat them into shape."


	23. Chapter 23

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

The morning dawned cold and overcast. They were awake long before the sun, with few in the family sleeping more than a couple of hours, if at all.

A shuttle from the _Normandy_ rested on the roof to take them to where the procession was to begin. Liara, Daenys, and Irie wore finely tailored dresses of ivory and white…the traditional asari Sending colors of mourning. Mel, in Alliance tradition, wore her dress blues, a band of black tied around her upper arm. Evik was in a suit, Lily cradled in his arms, yawning and snuggled against her father.

Grunt, his boys, and Solus were geared as if for battle. Though the Alliance had offered a military escort for Liara and her family, Solus and Grunt had insisted on taking their place. Shepard was of their clan, and such a duty belonged to Urdnot.

Despite the earliness of the morning and the height of the building, Liara could hear the distant roar of the gathering crowd. Every street of New York would be clogged. Never in the history of human events had so many gathered in the city, and even their numbers were nothing compared to the trillions of eyes elsewhere that would be glued to various newsfeeds, watching events from afar.

Liara felt only distance, numbness. Melara sat beside her as the shuttle lifted on its course, her hand stealing over to grip her mother's gently.

There were no tears. They seemed, for the moment, to have run dry. All of her feelings, as well, seemed to have run dry, leaving her weary, aching, and hollow.

Grunt stood nearby, braced by one hand on a crossbar as the shuttle sailed on its course. As Liara glanced at him, she noticed the chest-piece of his heavy armor. Something was set as decoration into the metal and ceramic, a six-inch sweep of ivory, curved like the blade of a dagger. It took her a moment to realize what it was.

Years ago, when Grunt had still been a boy, Shepard had taken him to Tuchanka to help him with his Rite-marking him as an adult, earning him the respect of his fellow krogan, and inducting him into Clan Urdnot. In the course of the Rite, they had to fight a thresher maw. Del had given Grunt a piece of the maw's tooth that had broken off in her boot.

She lowered her eyes a bit, remembering. That had not been the only maw Shepard had fought, nor the only tooth broken. Shortly after they had met, Liara and Del had, together, taken on a maw whose nest had been made into a trap by Cerberus forces. Del had killed the maw, but a biotic blow from Liara had shattered its tooth. Del had given it to her as a trophy.

For Liara's one hundred and fiftieth birthday, Del had taken that tooth and had it inlaid into the lid of an ornate carved box. It sat now at home, next to the bedside. Normally homed in the study, Liara had moved it shortly following Del's passing. She put a few of Del's old cigars into it, and the first night following the loss of her love, she had curled on the bed and held it, smelling the wood and the scent of tobacco…

She felt Mel's fingers tighten gently in hers. A concerned, gentle whisper followed. "Mama?"

Liara took a shuddering breath, realizing her eyes had blurred. Quickly blinking back the tears, regaining her hard grip on her emotions, she nodded in reassurance.

The shuttle soon lowered. The krogan were the first to step off, Grunt poking his head in a moment later and nodding to Mel. She rose, lightly holding Liara's arm as her mother got to her feet, escorting her off the shuttle.

The hearse carrying the casket waited nearby, as well as the car that they would be riding in. More krogan of the Urdnot clan and nearly a hundred marines- mounted on horses and in full dress- waited to escort them to the cemetery. Standing with them were nearly a dozen unfamiliar asari, and one _very_ familiar face. The sight of it made Liara hesitate in surprise. Reaching out, she took hold of the much older asari's hands as she approached.

"Samara, I was not expecting you."

"To not honor my fallen friend, or to be here when you most need me, would be a grave injustice," she replied. "Your daughter is singing Cantola's Lament, and the Justicars are here to pay their homage to the only other hero in this galaxy to have earned it."

Liara's gaze shifted from Samara to the other asari waiting there. She did not doubt for a moment that these were the other Justicars, and that not a single one of their number was absent. She could not recall any other time in history when all Justicars had ever gathered in one place.

For a moment, she could not speak, lowering her head with emotion. Glancing gently from her to Samara, Mel cleared her throat. She had only seen and spoken to the Justicar Matriarch once before, during a very difficult time in her life.

"We are honored to have the Justicars here, Samara. Thank you."

Still holding Liara's hands, Samara looked at Melara. "I have followed your career, Melara Shepard. I have always seen the ghost of your father behind your eyes. It is a comfort to know that a Shepard still guards this galaxy. I know Del was very proud of you."

Melara nodded faintly, doing her best to contain her emotions. "Thank you."

Irie came over, putting her arm around Liara's shoulders, bowing her head slightly toward Samara. "Madame Justicar. Melara, I will take Mama to the car."

As Irie escorted Liara away, Melara stood all the straighter, clearing her throat again. "I trust she is well?" she asked.

"Well, and thriving. She has an intelligence and grace that few asari possess. She still thinks on you fondly, and wished me to extend her condolences."

"That is very gracious of her," Melara replied. "Thank you."

Samara nodded, glancing past Shepard's youngest toward Daenys, who lingered politely just out of ear shot, waiting for Mel.

"We do not always understand the paths that come before us," Samara said, her eyes moving back to Mel. "Often, they are wrought with pain, and difficulties we do not think we can endure. You are with a heart whose beat compliments your own. Remember fondly, but do not sacrifice that over ghosts of what might have been."

Melara nodded her understanding, then watched as Samara returned to her sisters to prepare for the procession's departure. Dae stepped up to her side, her hand slipping into her love's as they headed for the car where Liara and the others were waiting.

Melara had never forgotten that distant day. Her mother's tear-filled eyes; the way Del held to Liara's hand, her face grim and her jaw tight, always determined to be strong for her family; the tall and incredibly elegant Justicar who came in the door of the hospital. Melara had been twenty then, and it felt her whole life was being torn apart.

Bethayla. That quiet, clever, patient, and infinitely beautiful asari child who Melara had met on her first day at the Junior Academy. Her first friend, quickly becoming her first crush, developing all too soon into her first love. They had seemed from the beginning to be two halves of the same whole, and over time Melara started to secretly believe that she might actually have something as wonderful and perfect as her parents' love for each other.

Then Bethayla had become ill. It wasn't an illness of the body so much as one of the mind. She became moody, distant, frustrated. Always serene and patient she seemed to transform overnight, her previously non-existent temper now hot and quick, her words unpredictable.

Then, the attack.

That was the words that others used to describe it. Melara didn't consider it such. It wasn't an attack so much as an act of desperation, a will that was not her own coming over the adolescent asari.

Bethayla had not appeared for classes that day. Melara was concerned, the feeling only growing when Beth's parents also did not know where their daughter was. Melara had left the Academy to find her, locating her nearly an hour later at the riverside on the edge of the complex. Beth had seemed depressed, melancholy, her manner going from lethargic to agitated and back to lethargic with no prompting. Mel tried to find out what was wrong, attempting to talk her into returning home with her, to finding help. During one of Beth's moments of agitation Melara had grabbed hold of her to stop her pacing, to insist they return.

That's when Beth had kissed her. Neither gentle nor tender as the kisses they'd shared before, this one was hungry, forceful, demanding. Almost the moment their lips met Mel felt an insistent sing of alarm deep in her gut. It was as if some predator had taken over the skin of her closest friend, pinning Melara beneath its claws like prey. She forced Beth back physically, bruising her companion's arms in the process, then snagged her in a biotic field before Beth could recover.

She'd held her there immobile until others were able to arrive. All the while, Bethayla had done nothing but sob and beg for forgiveness.

The diagnoses sounded so foreign, so horrible to Melara's ears. The first person Melara had ever loved, the one who had been there in every happy future she had imagined for herself since the age of ten…and she was Ardat-Yakshi.

Of course, Bethayla had chosen to go to the rebuilt monastery. Samara had been the one to come to bring her to what would be both her home and her prison for the rest of her life. Melara was there with her parents at the hospital when Samara had escorted her out. Beth had seemed so calm and peaceful, far more like her true self.

Mel had been less calm. Bethayla only wept when Melara began to, the injustice of it all tearing the young Shepard apart. How cruel and petty fate had seemed at that moment.

It had taken Mel a very long time to accept what had happened. It was only within the last decade that Mel had found herself able to write to Beth, the two reforming a distant friendship through letters and the occasional holographic call.

Only once she had accepted it and healed, did it seem fate wasn't finished shredding her heart.

It had been during her N7 training that she had met Athena, while on shore leave on Omega. Melara was an N1 at the time. She fit into the Alliance like a hand into a glove, and on her acceptance into the N program she had been high on life, confident, and perhaps a bit cocky as soldiers her age tended to be.

When she spotted the pretty asari at the bar, she did not, of course, know that it was her cousin. Liara herself had not known at that time that Eír had produced a daughter. Once the Battle for Earth was over, Eír had seemed to just vanish into the ether. Given her position as Shadow Broker, Liara would find hints over the decades that her sister was still alive, but Eír knew how to hide. Beyond knowing she was all right, Liara did not want to pressure Eír in any way. When she was ready, if she wanted, Eír would find _her_.

Athena was almost as far from Bethayla as you could get. Whereas Beth had always been the calm, thoughtful, soft-spoken one, Athena was more like Melara- rowdy, boisterous, and very much into having fun.

Their 'fling' had lasted the week of Mel's shore leave and was almost completely focused on the moment. They never even shared their surnames. They had both seemed to need to cast off their identities, their past, and be nothing but themselves. No expectations, no history, no parents, no responsibilities. Just Mel and Athena…_living_.

Things had gotten hot and heavy a few times but never had quite crossed the line. That final night, Melara was determined that their goodbye would be something to remember. She hadn't admitted it, even to herself, but she had started to fall for Athena quite hard…and it seemed it was mutual.

It was that hidden past that was, ultimately, their downfall. However much she wanted to forget it, Athena could not change the biology of who she was. She was Eír's daughter, and Eír was not true asari. Perhaps matters would have been different if Eír had fathered her child with another asari instead of being the one to give birth, but sadly that's not what had happened. It would never be known if Gellian had ever planned on Eír reproducing when she was building her, manipulating her genetic structure. Intentional or not, even that mad genius couldn't have predicted how her tailored genes and DNA would react to being randomized in their reproductive process. Like her mother, Athena _appeared_ to be asari…but what she truly was had never really before existed.

That final night, they had finally attempted a true Joining. Neither had ever actually Joined before, not in a romantic sense. What happened was utterly unexpected.

Melara still remembered only an intense sensation of pain and some vague nightmare images before she woke almost three weeks later in an Alliance intensive care unit. She had been found after one of her crewmates- also on leave- had been approached by a very worried, agitated Athena. She told him that Melara had been hurt and where to find her…and then had rushed off into the crowd, disappearing. He'd gone to the room to find Melara locked in massive seizures. She'd been taken by medics back to their ship and when the doctors there were baffled as to her condition, she was sent to one of the top neurobiological departments in a hospital on the Citadel.

Her family were notified, of course, and immediately rushed to her side. Mel was barely clinging to life. In the end, she had to have more than seven surgeries. Her heart, her brain, and her spinal cord all showed signs they had been subjected to an enormous level of dark energy and had sustained cellular damage. The doctors, unable to explain the cause of such injuries, likened them to someone who had been exposed to near-lethal levels of eezo radiation.

When Mel finally regained consciousness, she was disoriented and confused, barely recognizing her own family and unable to answer questions. Another month of careful therapy passed before they found out how she had been injured.

Del's first assumption was that this 'Athena' was Ardat-Yakshi, but the asari doctors assured them that the wounds were not consistent with known Ardat-Yakshi attacks, and that if this had been such, Melara would be in a coffin as opposed to the ICU.

Though she did fully recover from the incident physically, Melara had been understandably put off pursuing any kind of romantic relationship for a very long time. It had taken years of gentle persuasion and the patience of a saint for Daenys to change her mind.

While most asari might be upset and consider it a scandal when their child chose another asari to be their bondmate, Liara had been nothing but relieved. While she held no such prejudices to begin with (she was, after all, a pureblood herself), it came as an enormous comfort that Mel had finally found love with someone as long-lived as she. While Irie would grieve tremendously at the loss of her bondmate to the inevitable, like other asari she would heal and move on to eventually find another love. Were Mel to lose Dae, Liara feared the loss- coupled with what had happened with Beth and Athena- would cause Melara to swear off love for the rest of eternity. Centuries of loneliness were not a fate any parent wanted for their child.

As Melara slid into the car, Dae entering just after her, she looked over at Liara. Her mother was holding Irie's hand, her face devoid of emotion as she gripped tightly to the reins of her grief.

_I fear the same that she feared for me_, she thought sadly. Her mother was still so young, barely a matron. Would she ever heal enough to find love and happiness again? Melara knew that Del would never want Liara to be sad and alone for the rest of her life, but she could not imagine her mother with anyone else. Del and Liara had loved each other so fiercely. Even to their children, they were not really separate beings. There was no Mama without Bába…it was unimaginable.

_But now, here she is. Mama without Bába. The unimaginable has become reality. How is she going to get through this? How are _any _of us supposed to get through this?_

Melara had no answers. Holding tightly to Dae's hand and looking out the window as the cars began to move, she could only hope a hope she did not truly feel.

* * *

It didn't start to rain until they were halfway to the cemetery.

The procession was slow going, the cars moving only as fast as those on horseback and on foot could keep pace. Surrounded by clan Urdnot, the hearse and the car bearing Del's family edged forward at what felt like a tortoise crawl. The crowds, kept back by lines of peace officers and marines, shouted and called and wept and waved and flung flowers and confetti until they could hear the tires crunching through the debris.

Ahead of them, leading the procession, were the Fleet Master and Prime Minister's cars and entourages, followed by the mounted infantry. Then came the hearse, and Melara saw a continuous wave of salutes move through the crowd, given by both soldiers and civilians alike, as it passed by.

Flocks of hover-cams almost darkened the skies, and every window she could see was also clogged with people waving or calling. The entire spectacle simply took her breath away.

It was something of a relief to finally reach the cemetery. The general public was not allowed within. Though the ceremony would be televised live, only invitees were cleared to attend. Even with that restriction, hundreds if not thousands were gathered at their destination. A structure covered by a tarp stood thirty feet high, just beyond the enormous open air tent that protected the crowds from the elements.

Just as the last of them stepped under this protected area did the clouds really open up, the few sprinkles strengthening to a respectable deluge that beat loudly on the plastic overhead.

Throughout the entire ceremony, Liara only stood with her left hand in Irie's, her right in Melara's, listening to the drumming sound of the rain. She was grateful that Shepard was not in the casket laying a few feet away. She would have hated every moment of this ceremony…the pomp and circumstance and the endless droning. This was not who she was. She had never been _this_.

The honor guard, on direction, removed the two flags laying over the casket with well-practiced motions, neatly folding them. One, the Alliance flag, was presented to Liara. She took it numbly, holding to it tightly, barely aware of what it was. The second, the Galactic flag, was given to Irie as Del's eldest. She was solemn but tearful as she accepted it. Speeches were made, eulogies delivered. The Fleet Master spoke. The Prime Minister spoke. Stiffly and with desperately controlled reverence, Melara stepped to the podium and spoke as well. The others' words had blurred into droning but Melara's voice Liara heard.

"Del Shepard was born in this very city, not too far from here," Melara said, looking out at those gathered. "She was born into grief, into poverty, into a misery that not many of us can truly fathom. She was unwanted, a creature of the streets and vents, nothing but another piece of litter blowing unseen and unsung through dirty gutters and in slums. She was not even given the dignity of a name.

"She should have died. She should have gone mad. Instead, she persevered. She was stronger than that.

"Despite all the odds, she taught herself to read. She taught herself to speak English, Galactic, and Chinese. Abused and preyed upon, it would have been all too easy for her to lash out, to take advantage of those weaker than she was, to hurt them as she had been hurt. Instead, she dedicated her life to protecting those who could not protect themselves, to stand always for the weak, for the helpless, and for the lost. She would be their voice when they could not find their own, and their fist when they could not rise and fight for themselves. To do this, she joined the Alliance, receiving top marks and the highest accolades as she advanced swiftly through the ranks. Recognizing her potential, the Alliance elected her for the N program, and through her sheer, unswerving determination, she reached the rank of N7, Special Forces.

"This alone was an incredible achievement for a woman who should not have lived past her first year, if even her first hour. Beating the odds was what Del Shepard did best. Too many did not understand her. Too many judged her, condemned her, and were quick to vilify She was called meat-head. She was called uncontrollable. When she saved the lives of dozens of human slaves, many of whom were horribly abused, starved, and raped children- she was not called hero. Instead, she was called Butcher.

"When she saved the colony of Eden Prime from a geth attack and was named the first human member of the elite Special Tactics and Recon, she was called a liar, and a shill, and a shaved gorilla. When she desperately tried to warn those in power of the true threat that Saren Arterius posed she was called crazy, delusional and confused. Her warnings were unheeded, her claims ignored. Yet she did not give up. She was stronger than that.

"When Saren and his geth forces- lead by the Reaper known as Sovereign- attacked the Citadel she was there...risking her life to save the helpless trapped on the station, to save the very people who had scoffed at her warnings, who had disregarded her as foolish and confused.

"When no one seemed to care about hundreds of thousands of human colonists disappearing, Del Shepard scoured every corner of this galaxy for the Collectors. She refused to give up, refused to quit, using every resource that she had because she would not leave a single sentient being to suffer in their hands. What she endured to halt the Collectors is unbelievable, but she halted them. When she learned that the galactic reaper threat was about to invade she made the extremely hard decision to destroy a relay in the hopes that she could forestall the inevitable, sacrificing hundreds of thousands in order to buy time for trillions to develop defenses. For this, she was called murderer, and traitor. She was held in detention, stripped of her rank and her ship, hobbled and disregarded. Most would have given up. She was stronger than that.

"When the Reapers finally came, Del Shepard rallied every species in this galaxy to win the war. Instead of leaving those who had, for years, questioned her every move to fend for themselves, she came to their rescue. She gave her sweat, her tears, all of her strength and all of her hope. In the end, she very nearly gave her life to destroy their threat, to end their Cycle. They bloodied her, they shot her, they burned her and beat her. They left her broken in a coma for months. She should not have survived, but she did. Because she was stronger than that."

She paused a moment, jaw tense with emotion, her hands gripping the podium to hide their trembling. She knew that very few would ever know the real sacrifices that Shepard had made. Even Melara herself would never really know all of it. Taking a deep breath, she continued.

"People often ask me if it is difficult to be the daughter of Del Shepard. My answer to that is _no_. The galaxy today is mourning the hero that saved them...I am mourning a hero of a different sort. The one that taught me to be compassionate, and kind. The one that taught me to fight for those weaker than I. I am mourning a hero that held me when I was sick, who soothed me when I was hurting. I am mourning the hero that would hold me on her shoulders, who made me feel as if there was nothing I couldn't do. I am mourning a hero who showed me what love, and courage, and honor was all about. It was never difficult to be my father's daughter. It was an honor and a blessing. I am proud to be Del Shepard's daughter- not because she was a savior, but because she was, _simply_, Del Shepard. Because of her, I know that no matter what pain or enemy comes my way, I can be _stronger_."

She cleared her throat roughly, stepping down from the podium and looking at the casket. Standing tall, she saluted. "Farewell, Bába. May you find your peace, until we meet again."

* * *

When the time came for Lamentation, Irie turned and gave her folded flag to her mother, bending in and kissing her cheek softly before she went to take her expected place. She had planned on saying a few words before the lament began, but thought abandoned her, and after a long moment's pause, she simply began.

As all asari lamentations, there were no words. Emotions, not ideas, were the point of such tributes. She let herself forget the crowd, forget the world around her, immersing herself in the music and not allowing her voice to waver. After a few moments, she realized she was not singing alone.

Samara, the Justicars, and the other asari gathered in the crowd joined in, the sound swelling as they did so. Melara glanced over at Dae, her eyes swimming with tears, as she began to sing as well.

On the Citadel, on Thessia, in homes and in public gatherings and on worlds and in private places all across the stars, those asari watching the ceremony from the live feeds began to sing as well. The asari Councilor sang. The Priestesses and acolytes of Athame sang. On Omega, from the Afterlife to the seediest little club, scantily clad dancers lowered their heads solemnly and they, too, sang.

Alone in her secured apartment, even Aria T'Loak- glass of pris para in her hand- began to softly hum along.

The raw emotion that filled the air was almost palpable, and when the lament finally died away, tears were streaming down Irie's face. It was only in the moment of silence that followed that she realized the rain had finally stopped.


	24. Chapter 24

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

Liara watched quietly as the statue was unveiled. Wrought in marble and inlaid with gold and lapis, the statue showed Del in her dress blues, looking over the heads of the gathered crowd as she saluted. In the large base of the monument was a chamber, an open space just large enough for the casket.

Melara, Grunt and Solus, and two N7 marines who had once been Del's students, gently lifted the casket as the Fleet Master took the fore. Feeling an arm slip into hers, Liara leaned slightly on Irie but her eyes remained fixed, slightly unfocused.

As the casket was carefully moved to the base and then slid into the space designed for it, the Fleet Master called an order. The marines that flanked the large gathering presented their arms, but as the first volley was fired into the still gray air, it rang far louder than their twenty guns could account for.

On Alliance bases all around the world- and off it-, soldiers fired similar volleys. Standing in even ranks and using giant blanks, entire tank and ground based heavy artillery squadrons fired in sync with those marines at the funeral.

Floating in space, the fleets also fired blanks, the _Orizaba 101-2_ leading the salute.

Lily, startled by the sound, buried her face in her father's chest and cried. Evik gently covered her free ear with his hand, standing as far from the guns as he was able so as not to frighten her more. At the sound of the first shot, Liara jolted slightly, but after that remained still as they continued to sound.

The volley didn't finish until after the casket had slid home, Mel and one of the N7's lifting the heavy iron plaque and holding it in place as the tomb was firmly sealed.

Sound didn't seem to return to the world until they were back in the car. There would be endless banquets, speeches, prayer vigils. The rain had stopped but the clouds had grown heavier, angrier still, and along their route Liara could see thousands of candles lit and casting shadows over solemn and innumerable faces.

Weary as she was, Melara was expecting her mother would want to just return to their quarters and retreat from the world for a time, but to her surprise, Liara suddenly leaned forward and spoke to the driver.

"Would you please take us to 3804 Beacon Street?"

"Miss?" the private asked, confused. "That's a rough part of town. I'm not really supposed to break escort-"

"Please, it is important."

"Mama?" Melara frowned, sitting forward and looking at her. "What is it? What's at Beacon street?"

Ignoring her daughter, Li continued to talk to the driver. "There is an Alliance N7 Captain in this vehicle, Private, and the krogan will no doubt follow closely. We shall be safe enough. Please take us to Beacon, otherwise I shall be forced to walk."

"I…I'll need to clear this with-"

"Clear it with whomever you wish, just go. And thank you."

As she sat back, Melara asked again. "What's at Beacon street, Mama? There's nothing down that side of the city. Some of it still bears marks of the war. Only gangs and the homeless live down there."

"There is something there I need to do," Liara said. "It will not take long."

Melara studied her face, the nodded and addressed the driver. "Private, you have my clearance. Inform the krogan and make sure the brass know where we're heading, then go to that address as asked."

"Yes, ma'am."

The car reached an intersection and turned off from the main convoy, the krogan instantly following. The crowds seemed surprised, but as the car moved along and took several turns, they thinned out.

Twenty minutes passed in silence as they drove, then thirty. The enormous throngs gathered in the center of the city were absent here, and after a while it almost seemed no one moved on Earth but them. The buildings around them fell into disrepair. The streets became rougher, zagged with cracks and mined with potholes. Then, a barricade blocked them, signifying they were about to enter a dangerous area that had not yet been repaired.

Melara poked her head out and talked with the guard there for a few minutes, before he nodded and cleared the barricade, allowing them in. Five minutes later, the private drew the car to a halt. "Here we are," he said. "3804."

Liara exited the car, swiftly followed by her two daughters, Irie whispering to Evik to remain behind with Lily. The krogan jumped out of their own vehicle, Grunt striding over to Mel.

"What are we doing here? What's going on?"

Liara, her white dress seeming almost to glow in the dusty gloom, had not paused after disembarking from the car. Striding to a set of stairs leading into a tunnel, she started down them, her children and the krogan hurrying to catch up.

The old light rail tunnel was dark…almost too dark to see, at first. Then the gloom broke as Liara lit her omni-light, not pausing a step in her journey and bothering only to keep the very hem of her dress from dragging on the filthy steps.

Reaching the bottom she turned left, stepping out onto the old light rail platform, switching off her omni-tool as they stepped outside once again.

The platform was warped and long abandoned. The Reapers had destroyed most of the old light rail system, and the new system that had been built had bypassed many of the old stations, including this one. A pair of heavy metal benches still stood against the near wall, the wrenched legs of a third showing where one had been scavenged…likely to be sold for scrap. Litter drifted around her feet, weeds and even a couple of small trees growing in the cracks of the rail system itself.

Liara's eyes didn't look outward, though. They turned toward the benches, and when Mel followed her gaze and saw the battered old vent grate over the leftmost bench, she suddenly knew where they were…and why her mother had come.

Liara stared silently at the vent for a very long while, tears slowly appearing and then falling down her face. Just as Mel was about to go to her, to softly insist that they go back, Liara moved.

Walking to the bench, she reached into the loose folds of her skirt, into a pocket secreted there. Drawing her hand out, she very carefully laid the chocolate bar on the back of the bench, just beneath the vent grate. Lifting her hand, she touched the grate a moment, closing her eyes. Then, she turned and walked back to her family.

"Come. It is time we get back."

Irie put her arm around her and guided her back toward the stairs. Melara stood a moment, looking at that lonely chocolate bar, before she lowered her head and followed her family.

* * *

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

Rakhana reminded Del of Therum.

Rolling hills and crags of gray rock coated with dust and shining in some spots with volcanic glass, it was hot, it was ugly, and it was preternaturally still. No wind seemed to stir around the broken and twisted rock formations, and as her boots thumped to dirt, she fancied she could feel the low and distant stir of the angry magma below the crust…and not nearly far enough below it to be of comfort.

A kilometer separated them from their landing zone to the broken cave Hewitt had indicated was the entrance to Orthrus's lair. With Liara and Lane on her heels, she moved at a steady trot, rifle ready for any nasty surprises.

Bursting steam vents caused their HUDs to flash angrily, and more than once they had to reroute their course to avoid the boiling, superheated water. Pausing at one formation, Shepard crouched in the shadow of a particularly sizable hunk of obsidian, looking intently at her companions.

"How are we doing?"

"We will not know for sure until we get closer to the cavern but, so far I am not feeling any strange influence," Liara said.

"Me neither," Lane replied. "Feel five-by."

Liara and Miranda had worked quickly trying to find the best protections against whatever mysterious indoctrination they might come across. Given that Wyatt, Shiva, the Collectors, and the Reapers had all used various subharmonics to begin the process, they were banking on whatever this new threat was using the same method. Shepard's nanites had long been tuned to resist those kinds of takeovers, but the others had no such protections.

In the end, Liara had constructed-with Miranda's guidance and Tali's engineering know-how- several small devices that would block any noise signal outside of the audible range. They wore them over their ears like awkward, ancient hearing aids, each sound and vibration passing through them scanned and evaluated.

There were no guarantees, of course, but it was the best they could do.

Using her sniper, Shepard leaned over the obsidian and carefully zoomed in on the coordinates they'd been provided. "I see the cave entrance. It's little more than a wide crack in the wall. No obvious guards."

"Doubt they'd leave 'em," Lane said. "They'll move them in after we go through…close up the trap and flank us."

"Yeah. Fortunately we have a thousand rachni ready to swarm the place if things go sour. All right, on we go. Keep your eyes open, move cautiously. We have no idea what to expect and anything we see could end up giving us an edge."

"Just like old times," Liara said lightly. Del gave her a smirk before they started on their way again.

A worn wash was less than a hundred yards ahead, a broken cliff rising from its far end. In that cliff was a wide crack, rock torn apart by shifting tectonic plates. It was just wide enough for a small krogan in full plate to walk in.

Shepard took point, switching her HUD to infrared rather than using an omni-light, and moving carefully. It was hot enough that their displays turned amber, temperature readings marking just below the danger zone. Deeper steam vents made the air cloudy and humid.

The crack moved deeper into the earth, jagging and doglegging and at times narrowing so much near the bottom that they were walking on the edges of the walls, straddling a crevice of an inch or two in width that sunk beneath them.

A slope covered with volcanic glass was the true tricky spot. Even with their boots it was hard not to slip, and they inched down tentatively, knowing if they lost their footing they'd tumble a hundred feet or more to where the rock evened out again. So far, all had been as Hewitt had described.

Inching forward and scouring every blind corner, Shepard continued to lead their way downward, deep into Rakhana's suffering corpse.

Then, sliding through another break, they were abruptly in a wide, obviously hand-made corridor. Part of it to their left was long collapsed, but it was open ahead of them…a straight run of at least two dozen yards. The walls were littered with carvings, worn down to mere shadows and broken with growing rock, obsidian, and glass. Liara, drawn to the carvings, moved close to one wall, her gloved fingers lightly tracing them.

"Can you read them?" Shepard asked.

"Even if they were clear, it would likely take me decades to decipher them. If this is language, it far predates any that has ever been discovered. I have no point of reference for translation. I am going to take a scan of this wall, see if I cannot at least bring them into sharper focus. We may not be able to read it but there may be faded pictures, images that will serve instead."

Shepard gestured at Lane to check out the far opening, staying by Liara's side and watching back the way they'd come as the asari set her omni-tool and carefully scanned the rock face.

"It is astounding even this much has survived, especially in a highly volcanic area," Liara said, her archaeologist's wonder coming out in her voice. "This entire structure must have, at one time, stood on Rakhana's surface. Entire solar systems are younger than these carvings…it is astounding. I have-…Shepard, here. Look at this."

Heading over to her side, Del peered at the image hovering over Liara's omni-tool as she clarified and indicated a shape.

"That's the Citadel," she said, recognizing the crude lines.

"Yes. It is not conclusive, but it lends credence to the idea that this cavern- and whatever technology it contains- is contemporary to the mass relay system and possibly constructed by the same hands. It-"

"Colonel!" Lane's call drew their attention to the small marine at the far end of the hall. "You guys are going to want to see this."

Liara saved her scan information and they headed that way. As they reached Lane's side, she gestured through the crack. "There's a chamber just beyond. Big as the _Normandy_'s CIC. It…well, I think we found the Red Queen."

Shepard narrowed her eyes and slipped forward, through the opening. A wide chamber, well lit by lamps that had been hung ringing the walls, opened up before her. She did not step out of the opening immediately, looking carefully over what lay before her.

The floor was covered with dirt, drifted over even tiles that had been inlaid upon it. The dirt was churned up by footprints and in places the tiles were swept clean. They were faintly carved, nearly as worn as the walls in the hallway behind them.

The chamber was a perfect oval, rounding even to the ceiling. To her right, a metallic dais was humming ever so softly, an egg of silver lined with red hovering inches over it, suspended by a wash of light. Within the dias what looked like the eye of a relay was slowly rotating, three rings separating and then coming together perfectly before separating again. Seeing that, Del had no doubt in her mind that this strange device was built by the same hands that made the relays.

Striking as the strange equipment was, it was the far wall of the room that drew her attention. Beneath the pads of her hard-suit, Del could feel every hair on her body standing on end.

The wall was made of something transparent, unfamiliar- like fluid water hardened to stone, but neither cold nor even as opaque as ice. The closest thing she could liken it to was blown glass, but deep and thick and somehow even more delicate than that.

Within this wall was a being. Bipedal, it stood easily ten or twelve feet in height, thin and willowy and colored in mottled shades of scarlet. Its legs were together, arms spread wide apart, long fingers as thin as reeds stretching to each side. Atop a delicate neck was a thin, long-chinned head that seemed tilted slightly upward. The features were odd and confusing to make out, at least from this distance. From the top of its head rose several thin branches or antlers, twig-like twisting shapes that swept upward a good twenty four inches.

From here, it looked like a crown.

There seemed to be no other entrances or exits to the room as far as she could see. Stepping aside to let the other two in, she gestured at Lane to circle the room and make sure, putting a hand on Liara's shoulder as the asari took in the sight and gasped.

"You feeling anything?" she asked. Astonished by the sight before her, Liara didn't immediately respond. Not until Del gave her a light shake. "Li?"

"What? Oh, no, I feel fine Shepard, I am just…this is _incredible_, unprecedented. That is the preserved specimen of a race of beings that existed trillions of years ago! I…there _are_ no words!"

The two headed further in, Shepard moving toward the equipment bank as Liara gravitated toward the being. The substance surrounding it kept its oddly liquid appearance. When her fingers tentatively touched it, she expected them almost to dip into its surface. Instead, she met firm, unyielding resistance.

Up close, she could better see the creature held within. Though there were no obvious mammalian gender characteristics, she got a very distinct impression that what she was looking at was female. Its skin seemed to be faintly scaled, more like a fish than reptilian. It was difficult to tell if it was clothed or not. Sweeps of almost chitinous coverings swathed its torso and flanked its long neck, wrapping its hips and legs. The coverings could be a molded type of body armor or natural anatomy- it was impossible to say for certain.

Seen up close, her face appeared to be slightly muzzled, a tiny slit of a mouth low, nearly to her chin. Nostrils were small and sleek, and from the folds of flesh along the neck- remarkably similar to an asari's- Liara deduced that this being's ancestors had at one point been aquatic.

_The nose and shape of the torso suggests it has evolved to the amphibious stage. The long fingers are not webbed and would be unsuitable for sustained water propulsion. The delicate frame would be most unsuitable for waters of any real depth…her ancestors did not come from the ocean. Likely…deep lakes, shallow seas…? But no, she is far too fragile for even that. I do not understand. She has strong signs of being aquatic but would be crushed by water pressure, and a clumsy, ineffective swimmer. Her limbs suggest that if she came from land, it is on a very low-gravity world but…then why gills? _Are_ those vestigial gills? They seem so from here but may serve a differing purpose._

Frustration came over her. She could not answer the mystery without examining the creature more closely, but the 'glass' that contained it felt as solid as diamond. It was impossible to tell without a real scan, but she doubted even the _Normandy_'s main gun could scratch its surface, let alone free its treasure.

As the 'clothing', it was impossible to tell if the 'crown' was an artificial construct or a natural part of her body. It seemed made up of a thousand chitinous structures, almost like the old branches of a plant. It came down low on her brow, but Liara could not truly determine at what point the structures ended and flesh and skull began.

Below it, two enormous eyes were tightly closed, quite oversized for the almost non-existent mouth and nose.

The entire being was red: blood red around the head and face, lightening a little toward the front. Dark crimson along the torso, spattered with brighter shades. The 'crown' appendages and spreading fingers were the dark maroon of clotted human blood.

_A Red Queen indeed_, she thought. _Who were you, poor soul? Were you here by choice, or is this your prison? What world did those eyes once look out upon? What slow dreams do you dream now?_

She could not say if the being was alive or dead. The 'glass' could be a form of stasis or hibernation, or just an accidental preservation, like a hapless insect caught in amber.

"Colonel, we have incoming," Lane announced suddenly, startling Liara slightly and breaking her chain of thought. Anne had completed her circuit of the room, finding no other entrances. Returning to the opening they'd come through, she could hear approaching boots- _lots_ of boots, and coming fast.

Shepard immediately turned away from the strange equipment, gesturing firmly at Liara and then Anne as she pulled her rifle. Liara rushed to the left side of the door, skin brightening with biotics. Lane flanked the right side, her own rifle in hand. Shepard crouched down near the right as well, dropping to one knee and flexing her gloves on her weapon. The moment the first figure appeared down the corridor, she snapped her weapon around and planted a pair of bullets at its feet.

Instantly the figure recoiled, then moved to the side, those following it quickly taking up defensive positions along the hallway. A dozen weapons ratcheted, muzzles bristling toward the opening. The light was poor out in the corridor, but Del could make out hard-suits, most slathered with Orthrus or Cerberus colors.

"That's far enough," she called.

"You have no escape from that room," someone else called back, and once more Del felt her skin crawling, her hair lifting on edge. There was something odd about that voice…but Del knew it. She couldn't place it for the moment, but damn it…she _knew_ it.

"I've mowed my way through bigger forces than you've got," she replied. "Don't think for a second you have me backed into a corner. You know me and what I can do."

"I know you. In more than one life," the familiar voice called back. One of the hard-suited forms- a big one- broke away from the others, striding forward. Del tensed, fixing on the figure.

"_That's close enough_!"

"Close enough for old friends?"

He lifted his hands, removing his helmet. His face was pale and he looked sick, his bristled hair damp and running with sweat. Even so, he was every bit as huge and ugly as he'd always been. Del felt her gut go cold, her jaw working tightly.

"Close enough for _sick_ old friends…_Wilcher_."

"Del, c'mon now. I'm not sick. I've never felt more clear in my entire life. We've been waiting for you, Shepard. We've wanted you to come."

"I'm here now," she replied. "Talk _fast_, Sam-"

"We have brought you here," he said, and smiled a smile that creeped her right the fuck out. It was the smile of a psychopath- patient, and affable, and coated with poison. His voice seemed to change even more, tightening and rising in pitch, almost squealing…the echo of nails on a chalkboard. His tongue darted out to lick his lips…a quick fish that was there and gone again.

"_Eeeeee-oh-veeeee-no…"_

He was fucking insane. Whatever the equipment in here had done to him, it had driven him right off the edge. In his dancing eyes she couldn't see even a ghost of her old commanding officer and friend. Wilcher was dead, and whatever had him now was off its fucking nut.

Unseen behind her, the Red Queen's enormous eyes opened, reflecting infernal dances of firelight. The tiny mouth shifted a little.

"_Iovino…where…?"_

"Iovino…where…?" Wilcher asked in that squealing pitch, before his voice lowered and he seemed to answer himself.

"She is here. We have her here…"

"Show me, _show me! I cannot seeeeee_…" The huge eyes darted and strained, their owner unable to shift or move her head. Her nearly inaudible voice was echoed with Wilcher's vocal cords as she let out a giddy laugh.

The big man pointed into the room, pointed right at the far wall, and smiled at Del. "_Go_. She wants to see you. Kill us or don't kill us, you can't escape her now. Iovino, go…" His grin broadened maniacally.

"_Off with your head…"_


	25. Chapter 25

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

For all the skills that she had, Shepard would never be as intelligent as someone like Miranda, or Liara. While she was not nearly as stupid as she _thought_ she was, she had neither their scientific acumen nor their intellectual capabilities.

Even so, it would take a true idiot not to realize that Wilcher was being controlled by whatever that thing was stuck in the glass behind them. Sadly, she even knew how he had come to be on Rakhana and under 'her' sway.

After the War, two searches were quickly organized and implemented. The first (and largest) was to track down any surviving Reapers and eliminate them. Javik had accompanied this mission, his experience greatly helping the effort.

The second search was the one for rogue Cerberus operatives who had scattered after the Cronos base and Shiva were destroyed. Because of what they had done to the Folly and to Ori, Wilcher had devoted the remnants of Thanatos to finding these last stragglers.

_If Cerberus refugees found this place by accident in an attempt to hide, Wilcher and his team must have followed them…only to fall into the same trap._

She wondered if any part of her friend remained alive in there. If he did, she knew what he'd want her to do. He had his helmet off. He was standing in the open, with nothing between him and a bullet.

She had no doubt, however, that if she were to plant that bullet the others would open fire. The three of them could hold this spot easily until the rachni swarmed in and eviscerated Orthrus from behind, but that would leave them with no answers. They still didn't know what caused the 'indoctrination', why the alien was sealed in the glass, or what that bank of equipment actually _did_. Examining the equipment directly might actually be the cause of the indoctrination…there was no way to tell.

To avoid the problem altogether, retreat, and blow the place from space might wreak more havoc than they could imagine. Destroying a relay had eliminated an entire system, after all. The destruction of this odd idol might do something even worse.

Then, low and deep beneath her boots, Del felt an ominous tremble. The faint groan of a long slumbering beast stirring in its sleep filled the air, and from above, chips of rock and thin streams of dust rained down upon them.

Shepard looked upward, holding her breath. There were nearly two miles worth of rock and stone above their heads. If a strong quake hit, it could not only crush them beneath a mountain, it could also trigger the oceans of tidal magma under their feet and consume them in molten fire.

The tremble seemed to steady, and Del let out a slow breath…but her relief came too swiftly. Another tremble began to build, this one far stronger. The ground heaved beneath their feet, enough to nearly knock them flying. Fist-sized, and then head-sized, cracked concrete and broken stone began to slam down from above. In the corridor, the indoctrinated mercs staggered and struggled to remain upright.

_This whole place is about to come down!_

Orthrus or no Orthrus they had to get out…_now_.

Liara flung up a barrier, deflecting a few of the falling rocks from striking her. Shepard hauled out her rifle, intent on firing into Orthrus and directing their run out of here. It was far to the surface, the path treacherous enough when it was still. It would be all but impossible to escape, but Del meant to die trying.

She ran over to Liara, gripping her arm to haul her toward the exit when the corridor itself came down with a deafening roar. Wilcher, who had been the closest to the chamber, made a frantic rush for the opening, diving through it as untold tons of rock and dirt collapsed behind him, instantly crushing the rest of the mercs. As he skidded over the floor, Shepard hauled Liara backward, the wall nearest the former corridor cracking and bowing toward them. She felt the hard punch of a good-sized lump of concrete as it slammed into her shoulder, denting her pads before tumbling away.

Then things went still again, the shaking slowing into low vibrations that might, at any moment, renew their violent throes. Shepard stared at the ruined wall. The only way out was now gone. If through some miracle communications were still strong enough to alert their forces, it would take even the rachni weeks to burrow down this far. They'd run out of oxygen long before they could starve to death or die of dehydration.

She heard the ratchet of a pistol and turned. Wilcher was half sitting on the ground, disoriented. Lane, liberally coated in dust, reached his side and planted her boot on his shoulder, shoving him to his back and aiming her pistol at his face.

"Orders?" she asked Del without lifting her eyes from the much bigger man.

"So long as he makes no moves, don't shoot him. We may still be able to help him."

"Del, I think we may have even bigger problems than just the collapsed corridor," Liara said suddenly, her voice trembling a little.

As Shepard looked at her, Liara pointed toward the ruined remains of the idol.

Some of the debris from the collapse had crashed into the odd and ancient equipment. Clearly damaged, the rings in the base no longer spun. The egg had tumbled free of its nest, lines along its sides flashing wildly. Even through her pads, Shepard could feel the rising static.

_It's going to explode_, she thought, amazed at her calm. There was nowhere to go. If that thing blew, they were dead, no matter where in this chamber they were.

She grabbed Liara's hand as the static reached a crescendo…and stopped. The lines of light on the egg simply faded and went dark, the electric feel of it just switching off. For a beat, there was still silence as she realized they were still alive and looked to remain that way.

Then, a rushing- wet and burbling and as eager as a cheerful stream chuckling its way through a stony creek bed. The glass wall- moments before as solid as diamond- was rippling and flowing, drawing away from its ancient prisoner.

Shepard and Liara both had weapons in their hands the next moment, watching as the Red Queen came free of her looking glass.

Her feet touched the ground first, her body folding and sagging to the dirt beneath her. The 'glass' seemed to withdraw into the very walls and disappear, and behind the crumpled figure, Del saw hope.

Another corridor, and quite possibly, another way _out_.

The Queen seemed to move only weakly, the slumped tangle of limbs shifting in disorientation. Her weapon pointed firmly at it, Del gestured at Liara to stay put, then did the same to Lane, who now held one pistol on Wilcher and another on the alien thing.

"_Be careful_," Liara said, blue eyes full of worry as Shepard started across the room.

As she neared the alien, Del could see the Queen's eyes were open now. The size of pomegranates, they were a silver-white centered with three triangular red pupils. They were oddly hot, dancing with feverish intensity.

_We're all mad here_, Del thought, the recent use of _Alice in Wonderland_ prompting the thought. Her jaw tightened and she took a step backward instead of forward, before halting.

The eyes shifted, seeking, and for a moment Shepard was struck with the thought that the creature was actually blind. Then the pupils fixed to her, narrowing sharply.

"_Don't move_," Del ordered. "Who are you? Tell us your name, your species."

The eyes only shifted a bit. She was lying with her chin in the dirt, and a soft puff from her slitted nostrils blew tiny clouds of tan before her. The ground trembled again, warningly, and Del's tension only grew.

"_Talk_ to me! You can talk, yes? You talked through Wilcher. You were controlling him somehow. Who are you and what do you want? _Answer me_!"

The head lifted a bit, cocking on that long neck. Limbs uncoiled, righting. Del gave her another warning not to move, and when she didn't comply, she spanked a warning shot in front of her chin. The spray of rock and dirt that it threw against her face made her recoil a bit, the eyes heating all the more.

_I'm going to have to kill this thing,_ Shepard realized. What mind the Queen had ever once had, it had long ago disappeared. That she had been conscious while sealed in the glass and capable of speaking- even though that speaking was through another-showed the true torture of her imprisonment.

_Billions of years awake and knowing, unable to move, escape, or die…__**anyone**__ would be insane._

It was also clearly able to control others much as the thorian had once done. Wilcher was impressed to its will, as all the rest of Orthrus had been. The researchers who had stumbled on this place had felt its effects, but so far Del, Li, and Lane seemed immune of any such control. Perhaps it was thanks to the dampeners on their ears, or perhaps there was another reason that wasn't as evident.

Del no longer considered that this was some kind of hibernation or stasis. Such things would not have left her cruelly conscious. It was clear that the 'idol' had been what was keeping her trapped, but with two dozen mercs in her thrall, why had she not simply had one of them shut it off and free her?

_A million reasons. Perhaps she was not familiar with the mechanism and was unable to direct them in its operation. Perhaps they were physically unable to, because it was coded or simply unfamiliar to their physiology. Perhaps her control is not absolute, or perhaps in her insanity…she just didn't consider it._

At this point did it really matter? They had to find a way to get out of here before another quake hit, and this entire area sank into the eager magma beneath them.

Tense from recoiling, the Queen looked wary a moment, before that tiny vestigial mouth proved it was anything _but_. In a remarkable display of elasticity, her thin lips drew back, her skull appearing to almost split in half as enormous jaws swung open. Thousands of teeth bristled and drooled with the viscous, ominous promise of venom.

Shepard opened fire.

In the millisecond it took the swarm of bullets to cross the ten feet from Del's gun to the crumpled Queen, the creature had leapt upward, its long fingers and toes gripping hold of the roof far above and clinging to its surface with the ease of any insect. Only one bullet struck home, punching through a thin leg before it whipped upward. The resultant squeal sounded less one of pain and more one of fury.

To the side, still lying in a foggy daze on the ground, Wilcher murmured weakly. "_Off with her head_…"

The Queen scrambled across the ceiling, her long limbs seeming to stretch for entire miles as she moved. Del followed her with the muzzle of her rifle, stamping a path along the rock just shy of the Queen's body. Not only was the thing fast, but it seemed to almost anticipate what Del was going to do. Even Shepard's enhanced reflexes couldn't keep up with her.

Darting away from the stone above she landed on the wall near where the idol had stood, bunched, and leapt again. The entire series of motions was like a lightning strike, so quick she seemed to nearly be in two spots at once. Her last leap sent her crashing into Liara and the asari went flying, her shoulders and back striking the far wall hard enough that Del heard the bark of lost air from where she was. Swinging her rifle, Shepard lunged, landing on the Queen's back as she sprang toward the dazed asari. Her rifle whipped around the tiny neck and she hauled with all her strength.

The Queen reared and bent backward, but the willowy neck which should have snapped with even gentle effort did nothing of the kind. Thin and delicate as she appeared, she felt made of nothing but steel and corded sinew.

A hand closed on Del's leg and she was torn free, skidding over the rock floor. Liara, coughing and dazed, was stumbling to her feet.

Lane opened fire as Shepard recovered herself. The Queen turned and slashed toward the little marine who slashed right back, having dropped a pistol in favor of her boot blade. The knife skidded over the narrow little nose, slicing open flesh in a glut of gelatinous ichor. Shrieking, the Queen darted backward, whirling as Shepard opened fire again.

She'd been aiming for torso, but the speed at which the creature moved resulted in the bullets tearing through its arm and wrist. It shrieked again, more furious than ever, one long fingered hand dangling from a few shreds of flesh.

Liara lit up with biotics, sending a flash of energy toward the beast. The Queen saw it coming, her enormous eyes widening even more, reflecting the shimmering blue before it flung itself aside. With a rattle and a squeal, it darted toward the black tunnel its former prison had been blocking, and vanished into the dark.

"The fuck…?" Shepard whispered breathlessly. Being slashed and shot had done nothing but make the Queen even angrier, however Del had seen the look in its eyes when those biotics had headed its way. That look, on _any_ face, spoke of only one thing…_terror_.

The ground rumbled again, briefly but filled with dark promise. Shepard looked over at Liara as she headed toward Wilcher.

"You ok?"

"I am fine, you?"

"I'm fine. Lane? You not hurt?" She gripped Lane's shoulder lightly a moment as she stepped past her and crouched beside the prone Wilcher.

"Five-by, ma'am."

Wilcher looked terribly sick, his face literally streaming with sweat and his eyes sunk in dark hollows. He seemed dazed, confused, and half-conscious. Reaching out, Del tapped his cheek sharply.

"Wilch? Can you hear me?"

He groaned, then seemed to focus. "Shepard…"

"That _you_ talking?" she asked warily.

He only looked at her in confusion, and she tapped him again. "God damn it, Sam, _tune in_!"

"I-I can't think, Shepard. Hard to…head's spinning."

"We need to get him out of here and to medical care," Liara said urgently, then looked around as the ground shook again.

"Yeah, before this whole place comes down," Lane agreed.

"And our only way out is down there," Shepard said, jerking her chin toward the dark corridor. "Deeper into the mountain and exactly the same way that _thing_ went."

There was nothing for it. They had no other choice, no other path. It was either go down into the darkness, or stay here and wait to be crushed or burned alive. Gripping Wilcher's arm, she helped the big guy get to his feet, holding him steady as Lane quickly relieved him of his weapons.

"Just stay with us, Sam," Del told him. "Stay focused. I don't want to have to put you down but I will if I have to, you understand?"

He blinked at her dully, then slowly bobbed his head. "Yeah…I'm…Del, is this a bad dream?"

"Yeah, Sam," she told him, her jaw tightening as she looked down the dark corridor. "Yeah, this is a really goddamn bad dream."

* * *

Liara insisted on scanning what was left of the idol equipment before they started down into the dark, saving the results in her omni-tool. As cautiously as they could, they started down the new corridor, Del leading with Liara close at hand, Wilcher shuffling listlessly in the middle, and Lane bringing up the rear. Their omni-lights sliced through the darkness, their brightness cutting swatches through the heavy black.

"If the Red Queen shows her face again, Li, be ready with your biotics," Del said to her softly. "When you lit up she looked downright terrified."

"What would make her fear biotics more than bullets?" Liara asked.

"Fuck if I know, but if it works I'm not going to question it."

"Shepard, I believe the creature is telepathic to some degree," Liara told her. "As we three remained unaffected it could be that her power is limited to subharmonics of a certain frequency…the 'glass' she was trapped in may have even acted as an amplifier. Or, it could be she could only control so many at one time."

"Telepathy," Del eyed her skeptically. "Sounds a bit too close to magic to me."

"Any technology or ability far beyond the scope of our development would seem to be magic, just as our ships and weapons and medical devices would appear to be magic to someone of a bronze-aged level of development. Perhaps it is not true telepathy as we would consider it, but there are a wide variety of communications techniques that would resemble such. The elcor, the rachni, and the hanar all natively communicate in ways that would appear to be 'mind-reading' to someone on the outside who had no concept of pheromones, or that body language and other physical cues could be a full language all on their own. Without a close examination of the Red Queen's physiology I cannot speculate as to her method, but it very well may be that her species has found a way to influence minds directly absent any cybernetic assistance. We still have not unraveled the full truth of the Reaper's indoctrination methods, only that they _start_ with subharmonics. If she is of a contemporary age with them, it may be that she uses similar methods."

Shepard suddenly paused as her omni-light fell over something on the ground. "Speaking of physiology…"

The Red Queen's hand lay in the dirt, the torn edge sticky with ichor. As Shepard carefully scanned around to make sure they weren't about to be ambushed by the bitch, Liara crouched and gingerly lifted the severed appendage. Her eyes widened.

"Del, our 'Red Queen' does not appear to be fully organic. This…this tissue appears to be normal flesh however there seems to be some level of sophisticated cybernetics actually woven through the bone and muscle fibers."

"A cyborg?"

"Yes, most likely. I speculated on her anatomy back in the chamber. To evolve naturally, she would have had to have come from a very low gravity environment, or her fragile limbs would snap under her own weight. Even water pressure would be enough to crush her at any but the most shallow of depths, yet she also had vestigial organs that resemble those of my people- folds that in times gone past were functioning gills. If her entire body has been cybernetically fortified, however, it would explain how she could sustain her own body weight in this gravity, and move as she did."

"And why her neck didn't snap when I wrenched her head around. It should have broken at a tenth of the pressure I was laying on it and she didn't even flinch."

"Precisely. She could-"

"Del…" Wilcher's voice was slurred and woozy as if he were drunk. Shepard turned and looked at him. He still looked horribly sick, but his eyes seemed clearer. "Del, where are we?"

"Wilcher, you ok?" she asked, taking his shoulder. "We're on Rakhana, looking for a way out of these tunnels. Do you remember?"

"Oh…yes, I…I think so. The Red Queen-"

"Yes. Exactly. Sam, I need you to think carefully. What can you tell me about the Red Queen? About what happened to you?"

His brows creased, and as he swayed she urged him to sit down against the wall, crouching in front of him.

"We followed a group of Cerberus ops down here. Guess they figured the hostile environment would make it hard to be found. They'd taken shelter in the cave and we followed them down. I…they were all sitting in that chamber, staring at that…that thing in the wall. Didn't even glance at us. Then she was…she was in my head."

"In your head," she repeated gently. "Can you describe it? Did you hear anything, touch anything?"

"No, no…just walked in and it was…there she was. It was broken up, kind of. Images, wants…like a nightmare, a jumble of images that just didn't make sense. She was…Shepard, the thing is loopy. She was trapped there a goddamn long time and she'd long gone over the bend. Her head was broken and…I don't think she really intended the results she got."

"What do you mean?"

"It's…it's hard to describe. She was obsessed with Iovino. She took images, memories out of our minds- all our minds, but she couldn't put them in context, couldn't see them properly, I guess. She gave us images in return but they were beyond comprehension, all shuffled around, so alien…"

"Please, Sam," Liara said gently. "I know it is difficult but you must tell us anything you could decipher."

"She latched on to 'Iovino' in my head, but at the same time, she dismissed any images of _you_, Del. When she herself thought of Iovino I saw…I saw something _else_. Something different. Iovino meant something _different_ to her than it did to me. It's like…she wasn't looking for an individual, not really…she was looking for one of a _kind_."

Seeing Del's frown of confusion he sighed in frustration. "It's like…it's like she was asking for _a_ krogan, not someone _named_ Krogan."

Liara blinked. "So…to _her_, Iovino is not a person but…a race? A species _called_ the Iovino?"

"Yes, _yes_, that's it! That's exactly it!" he said, seeming to light up a moment. "She wanted us to bring her _a_ Iovino. I think…I think they're the ones that locked her in that trap and she thought they were the only ones who could operate the equipment to let her out again. She was mad enough not to realize that my idea of Iovino…_you_ Del…was not hers, so she sent everyone to get you to her so you could shut off the trap."

"She wasn't really looking for _me_ at all," Del said with a murmur. "She was looking for someone to let her out, someone with the right physiology to open that trap. She isn't aware that this Iovino species no longer exists."

"Why was she trapped in there? Why did they lock her up in that glass?" Liara asked.

"I'm not sure. I remember…I remember she wasn't alone. There were others with her, _like_ her, and then different ones they were chasing. She was closest, nearly to them but they had the trap ready and she triggered it somehow. The glass consumed her and held her there…I think it blocked the corridor so the others couldn't get past and the ones she was chasing escaped."

"So her prey escaped, her clan barred from pursuing, trapped as well…" Liara said slowly. Del's jaw tightened as she looked at the asari.

"…in this very corridor," the human woman said, finishing her love's thought.

Liara shook her head. "That was billions of years ago, Del. They could not still be-"

From further down, deeper in the dark before them, they heard the Red Queen shriek eagerly. After half a heartbeat, her voice was echoed a hundred times over. Del, her gut cold, looked down into the unbroken gloom.

"Yeah," she said softly. "Apparently…they _could_."


	26. Chapter 26

_A/N: Sorry for the delay for this chapter. It's review time at work so various meetings have drawn me away._

_Thanks to Leonineus for the idea to use the term Jabberwocks. Quotes are from 'Through the Looking Glass' by Lewis Carroll._

* * *

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

"Gimme a gun."

Shepard, rifle to her shoulder and aiming along her omni-light toward the steadily growing sound of shrieks, edged back a bit. The cavern was the size of a corridor, which gave them some maneuverability, but not much. If they retreated back to the main room they'd have more space, but it would serve more to the Red Queen's advantage than if they tried to make a bottleneck here and limit their oncoming numbers.

_There could be a thousand of them, by the sound. Even with a bottleneck we'll be lucky if we last two minutes._

"Del, gimme a gun," Wilcher repeated weakly. He'd forced himself to his feet, though he half-leaned on the wall still, unsteady on his feet.

"Sorry, Wilcher, I can't risk it," she replied. A sick man who could barely stand steady would be more hindrance than help in a firefight, and she couldn't risk the Red Queen regaining control of him and making him shoot them in the back.

The shrieks and cries were louder now, and beneath them she could hear a quick rustling sound.

Lane had her rifle up as well, her eyes narrowed as she peered down into the dark, body tense in anticipation. Her voice was low as she spoke.

"_Beware the Jabberwock, my son…the jaws that bite, the claws that catch…_"

Del's scowl darkened. As appropriate as the quote was, she was about sick of Lewis Carroll. When she got out of here she was going to find a paper copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ and burn it, just for catharsis.

_Wilcher said that the Red Queen took images out of their head. One of Cerberus must have thought of _Through the Looking Glass_ when he first saw her stuck there, and she took hold of the story and imagery, spreading it like a virus among the other thralls. _

That triggered a thought. "Tell me that's you talking, Lane, and _not_ the Queen," she said.

"No, sorry, that was me," Lane replied. "I took some literature classes and-"

"_I get it_, just keep your head _here_ before you lose it."

Another shriek sounded, remarkably close, and Del shifted her omni-light just in time to see a huge pair of reflective eyes lunging toward them.

"_Li!"_

Liara lit a brilliant blue, lifting a barrier to block the entire corridor ahead of them. The same instant, those eyes recoiled with a frightened sound. Shepard opened fire, shooting through the barrier, and the eyes retreated.

"Keep that up as long as possible, and let's move forward," Del told her. "For whatever reason they're frightened of your biotics but that might change. Even if it doesn't, we have to find a way out of here before you're exhausted."

They started to move forward at a steady pace, and within moments more and more of the Red Queen's 'jabberwocks' appeared in the cast of their lights. All were more or less identical to the Queen, only varying shades of bright primary colors and other very minor characteristics setting any given one aside from the rest. The Queen herself, easily identified because of her missing hand, lead them- hissing and drooling furiously as she edged back, but unwilling to get any closer to Liara's dark energy field.

They hung from the ceiling, from walls, all limbs and jaws and drooling teeth. Del tried to count as they moved forward, but with the shadows and motion it was impossible to determine accurate numbers. Her estimate held them at two or three hundred at least…bad news if that barrier dropped.

_Billions of years trapped down here in the dark…how did they survive? The 'glass' might have put the Queen into a semi-stasis and maintained her body, but the rest? What did they eat? Do they even _need_ to eat?_

Being as they were likely all partly cybernetic, it was possible they didn't need nutrition and had some other means of maintaining their organic structures. Right now it was academic and downright pointless to be pondering such things. They had to get past them and get out. That was all that was important.

The corridor continued to wind and slope steadily deeper…not exactly the direction in which they wanted to go. They moved steadily but not nearly as fast as Del would have preferred. The jabberwocks stayed well out of the way, moving back as the barrier moved forward, but they also didn't flee. They seemed to be aware that eventually the asari would grow exhausted and the barrier would vanish.

The heat was quickly rising, inching ever upwards for every foot they moved down, until it could be felt despite their hard-suits. Poor Wilcher was pouring with sweat, and seemed almost catatonic as he stumbled along with them.

Del found herself thinking about her kids. Mel and Irie might never even know what happened to their parents. She pictured the pair of them, standing solemn as they received posthumous honors on Liara and Shepard's behalf, and her gut just clenched.

_We'll get back to you two, I swear. If I have to tear apart every one of these bastards with my bare hands, your Mama and I are coming back to you._

A short time later, the cavern seemed to level out, no longer descending. Of course, it wasn't going upwards either, and there had been no offshoots. Liara, still holding the barrier strong, was nevertheless starting to feel the strain. Without another biotic among their number- and with the shots that Del pelted toward the swarming Jabberwocks doing sadly little to whittle their numbers-the prospects of escaping without getting overwhelmed were looking grim.

Lane had paused in taking her own shots toward the crowd, and did a quick scan as the floor stopped sloping. "There's a large space ahead," she said. "Another room or cavern. I'm reading an artificial structure in the middle of it. I…it's hard to say for sure but given the lines, it looks like a ship."

"A ship? If it belongs to the jabberwocks, why did they stay here? Why didn't they fly out ages ago when this place was still on the surface?"

Del didn't really expect an answer, of course…there was no way for Lane to know any of that. Still, it seemed odd. If it was a ship, did it belong to someone _other _than the jabberwocks? Abandoned by the Iovino, perhaps? Or maybe it wasn't a ship, but some other structure like the strange idol that had kept the Queen trapped?

"Are there any communications?" she asked, and sent another rain of shots into the crowd. Two jabberwocks, wounded, withdrew with furious hisses.

"I am getting a flutter now and again. It just flickers for an open channel and then goes silent. There may be cracks or fissures, or even a shaft up ahead that goes to open air, but right here we're still too far down and-"

A rumble broke off her words. At first, Del thought it was another quake, before she realized the ground beneath her boots was actually still. The jabberwocks looked confused a moment before beating a hasty retreat. Only the Red Queen herself seemed reluctant to withdraw, lingering and screeching furiously at her compatriots before shooting Del a glare that could only be defined as venomous.

Shepard glared right back and opened fire, but the Queen was as quick as ever, even sans most of one arm. She chased after her fellows, retreating into the black. The rumble stopped a moment later, their omni-lights illuminating a cloud of dirt as it billowed toward them. Afraid suddenly that the corridor had collapsed ahead, Del felt her jaw tighten.

"C'mon! _Move!_"

They rushed onward, Liara momentarily letting her biotics die to help preserve them a bit longer. Her strength was clearly sapped but she dogged on as Lane helped the faltering Wilcher.

Less than a hundred yards on, they entered the large space that Lane had picked up with her scan. The size of a stadium, the cavern was natural and dripping with broken stalagmites, some of which had grown around and even through the decaying metal hull of a ship as large as _Normandy_. Its design was completely alien, a sort of flattened oblong with random flares and sweeps along its flanks. Huge holes had been torn or rusted through its battered hull and there were no signs of power that she could detect.

There was light, but the source of it did not bode well. At the far right of the cavern, hot magma had welled and formed a pool. Black crusts of cooling rock dotted its surface like tiny islands, but there was too much motion from below for it to solidify completely. It was bubbling actively and in a way Del _really_ didn't like, especially given the earlier quakes. The heat in the cavern was incredible, and Shepard could feel sweat sliding down her neck and back. Her HUD was flashing in warning.

All of this was noted on the periphery of her attention. Her true focus was on the battle taking place before her.

The latest rumble hadn't been another quake, but rather the sound of hundreds of rachni drones finally breaking through. The tunnel they had burrowed was on the opposite end of the cavern from the angry magma, and more drones were emerging even as Del's small group ran into the cavern. The jabberwocks and the drones were locked in a vicious fight, tearing each other to pieces with shrieks and frantic screams.

Communications burst into life.

_{Liara! Del, for Christ's sake, can you hear me?} _Ashley sounded frantic, almost hoarse. _{Is _anything_ getting through?}_

Directing Liara, Wilcher, and Lane along the wall toward the rachni tunnel, Del hit her ear bud and lifted her rifle.

_{Ash! We're here! The rachni just broke through-}_

_{Thank God, you need to get out of there immediately! The fault like is extremely unstable and according to EDI the pressure is building to uncontrollable levels. We're looking at a massive volcanic eruption any minute now! You gotta get out of there!}_

"You heard her! _Run_!" Del shouted, flinging her arm around Wilcher to help him along while keeping her rifle free.

She caught Liara's look toward the ancient ship as she ran, and knew what was on her wife's mind. To lose that ship and the jabberwocks meant losing a piece of ancient history uncounted millennia old…and possibly any answers as to the Iovino, and the truth behind the Reapers.

Chaos was still boiling around them as the jabberwocks and the rachni clashed in vicious, animalistic fury. Liara sent a biotic flash careening in front of them, helping to clear the way. No matter how engaged or distracted they were, the jabberwocks instantly fled from the path of the dark energy sailing toward them, scrambling to get as far from it as they were able.

Lane ran at Liara's heels, her rifle barking in steady ratchets. As they neared the shaft, the largest form yet emerged through it. Riot had not left her drones to fight alone. Furious, the huge rachni queen waded into the melee, tearing slavering beasts off of her soldiers and flinging more than one across the length of the cavern to land in the welling magma.

Wilcher was limping, weak and slow and desperately starting to falter. Del might not have been back up to the same spec she had been during the Reaper Wars, thanks to her fifteen year retirement, but she was still no weakling. Even so, the huge man was dragging on her, reducing their pace to a fast walk.

"C'mon, big guy," she said, urging him along. "I'm _not_ leaving you down here! Move it!"

A jabberwock came sailing in from nearby, jaws agape. As she turned her rifle on it she released Wilcher, focusing her shot on the thing's maw and erasing most of its head. Driven by momentum, it crashed into her, ichor splashing over her face-plate as its weight stumbled her back. Throwing it away from her she turned back toward Wilcher, hoping he was still on his feet. If he'd collapsed when she'd let go of him, she was not sure she'd get him back upright again.

Instead, she saw his rather enormous fist a breath before it slammed into her face-plate.

Her feet flew out from beneath her as her face-plate actually cracked, the impact probably breaking every bone in Wilcher's hand at the same time. Crashing to the ground her wind immediately barked out of her as nearly four hundred pounds of human man and hard-suit dropped on top of her. Pinned, she tried to heave him off. Through the crack over her face-plate and the smears of ichor, she could see his sickly gray and green face. His squealing laugh and high pitched voice was all the Red Queen.

"_Off with her head!"_

Then the heated, maddened fever in his eyes snapped off as Lane's bullet took him in the temple, blowing away the Red Queen's control and Wilcher's life in one motion. His body slumped dead weight over her, then was torn away by furious long claws, the Red Queen flinging her lifeless puppet aside as if he weighed nothing.

The moment he was off of her Del rolled, barely missing those same claws as they darted toward her head. Lane fired again, the Queen shrieking and turning toward her, only to wail in abject horror as she was consumed in blue light, lifted off the ground under the power of Liara's biotics.

Shepard got to her feet, wiping a hand over her face-plate, hauling her rifle up as she slapped a hand into Lane's shoulder. "Go!"

There was no time to breathe, let alone mourn. The three of them bolted toward the rachni tunnel, Liara still holding the Red Queen in her biotics. The thing was squealing and struggling as best she could, held all but immobile in the bubble of dark energy. In answer, a dozen jabberwocks darted their way only to be swept aside by Riot. Six more were clinging to the battered rachni queen's carapace, tearing at it viciously. Furiously, she peeled them off as the ground once again began to shake.

Del found herself running as fast as she could into the tunnel, her lungs aching and burning in response to the weight that had been dropped on them only minutes before. The slope of the tunnel was steady, and in the distance, at least a mile off, she could see the faint, promising gleam of sky.

Lane and Liara ran just ahead of her, the asari trailing her Red Queen captive. Glancing back in concern as the shaking grew worse, Del was relieved to see Riot and the surviving rachni fleeing up the tunnel behind them, striking at supports to cause the passage to collapse behind them, slowing or burying the pursuing jabberwocks.

The shaking was getting worse. Ashley was shouting in her ear but her voice was all but lost in the deep, groaning bellow of a planet's crust tearing itself apart. The tunnel around them was clouded with falling dirt and chunks of stone, and even with her malfunctioning HUD she could barely see the women running only feet ahead of her.

Then, one of Riot's appendages wound around her waist, hauling her off the ground. A burst of frantic color filled her mind.

**HANG ON!**

Able to move much faster than her smaller mammalian friends, Riot reached out and snagged Lane as well, the little redhead struggling a moment in surprise before she realized what had just happened. As Riot took hold of Liara, however, the asari lost her weakening grip on her biotics as she was startled. Freed, the Red Queen fell to the ground…and was crushed a moment later, speared beneath one of the rachni queen's large legs as she rushed past.

Fresh air burst around them as they reached the surface a few miles away from the crack where they'd initially descended. Still, they were far from safe. On the flat, rocky expanse around them, huge geysers of dirt and steam were venting into the air, superheated air and water colliding with the atmosphere and creating billowing, ominous clouds. Everything seemed to be shaking, and Del could literally see ripples as shockwaves tore up rock and stone.

A hundred yards away the _Normandy_ was hovering only a couple of feet off the ground, its cargo bay standing open. Riot picked up even more speed on the flat expanse, and moments later, she leapt into the gaping bay, the few small drones that had escaped on her heels bounding in after her.

Though she had once lived in the cargo bay, she had been very young and far smaller. Now a fully grown queen, she took up a great deal of space and had to hunch slightly to keep from striking the roof. As soon as she'd set Del down, Shepard ran to the edge of the open bay door, looking back as the _Normandy_ lifted out of danger.

The steam plumes had been replaced by lava spouts, some jetting nearly a hundred feet high. The ground continued to chew itself up, slabs of rock the size of houses cracking and dipping and folding until everything had been swallowed into fire and brimstone.

"Gone…all of it," Liara said in a hush, standing at Del's elbow as she took in the site. "The carvings, the idol, the ship…_Wilcher_…"

Her voice broke on the last word, and silently Del slid an arm around her shoulders, lowering her head.

* * *

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

Wrex's son Solus was a big krogan. Though slightly shorter in height than the older Grunt, Solus was thick and wide, a walking wall of mean intimidation.

To those who did not know him, of course. To those he called family and clan, Solus was affable and easy to humor, irascible and somehow endlessly charming.

He and Grunt had become good friends. As a boy, the younger Solus had looked to Grunt as a mentor, especially after Wrex had passed away. The first krogan born after the genophage had been cured, Urdnot Solus bore the name of the salarian that had given his life to save the people _his_ people had wronged centuries before. Solus bore the name with pride, and if he loved nothing else, he did love a good story.

They had returned to their private quarters after leaving the funeral ceremony. Though repeating coverage and separate memorials were going on all over the galaxy, filling every news feed and live report from here to the edge, no one gathered in the large living space turned on an omni-tool, a vid screen, or even a ticker. The outside, present world was not what concerned them at the moment. Right now, their thoughts were on past glorious deeds and the memory of the _real_ Del Shepard that they all had known and loved.

"…what's a broken limb over your life, and a chance to defeat your enemies?" Solus asked, eyes sparkling. Melara lingered near Liara, a glass of whiskey in her hand as she listened with a smirk. "Shepard wedges her arm in the rocks, right? Then snap! She wails, pretending to writhe in pain, to lure her enemy in. When the rabid varren, smelling blood, closed in for the kill, she drove her knife into its neck and slit it wide open!"

Melara rolled her eyes. "It wasn't a varren, it was her friend Sydney," she said. "And she didn't slit her wide open, she just shot her with a paint gun."

"_Bah_!" Solus flapped a hand. "I like _my_ version better."

"Bába's deeds hardly need embellishing to make them more interesting, Solus," Irie said. "What of Grunt's favorite story? The one where she takes on a thresher maw on foot?"

"_With_ Mama's help," Mel said, smiling proudly at Liara.

"With Mama's _terrified_ help, is what you mean, dearest," Liara replied with a wistful smile.

"Terrified or not, you still jumped in there…_and_ you saved her life doing it."

"I do not know about that." Liara shook her head. "Knowing Del, if the maw had actually swallowed her, she would only have cut her way out of its belly with her boot knife and remarked on the stench."

Mel stared at her in surprise. Grunt let out a thundering laugh, slapping his knee hard. "Too right!" he grinned.

Listening raptly, Grunt's half-grown boys shook their heads at the laughter. "Tell us one we _haven't_ heard," Shep asked.

Grunt snorted, then pretended to look solemn. "Well, I had never seen Shepard falter at anything, boys," he said seriously. "Maw or varren, husk or banshee, she'd take on an army with her bare fists and light a cigar in their bloody remains. Even so, there _was_ one instance I saw Del Shepard completely freeze in a panic."

"Shepard in a panic?" Solus scoffed, scandalized. "Hardly! I don't think she was _capable_ of panic."

"No, it's true," Grunt insisted. "I saw her freeze completely, unable to move…you saw it too, Blue. You were there. So was lrie…after a fashion."

Liara and her daughter exchanged confused looks. "I…do not remember this, Grunt."

"Bába- _freeze_?" Melara sounded scandalized. "The woman flung herself in the path of heavy mechs, maws, merc squads and indoctrinated…good Goddess she killed _Reapers…_sometimes without a_ ship_!"

"I know. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself, but I _did_. She turned just as white as can be and stammered like a newborn pyjak. For the first time since I'd come out of the tank, Shepard flat out did _not_ know what to do."

Liara paused, then smiled a little. Grunt grinned and nodded at her. "I see you finally remember."

"I do," she replied. "Grunt is correct. It happened when I was pregnant with Irie, shortly after the end of the war. Shepard did, indeed, freeze for a short period of time. It took her several moments before she could find her tongue enough to attempt speech…and she barely succeeded at even that. In fact, she very nearly fainted. I am afraid the entire situation was my fault."

"_What_?" Mel folded her arms, aghast. "I don't believe it! _Really_, Mama? What did you do? What happened?"

Liara sat up a little, smoothing her skirt, a faint but unmistakable sparkle of mischief in her eyes. "I simply introduced her to Charles Flatwood."


	27. Chapter 27

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

"Good afternoon, Captain."

Melara and Daenys were standing on the veranda of a Presidium café, the false sunlight of the Citadel station as bright and cheerful as any summer Earth morning. It had been two days since the ceremony and funeral in New York, and this coming evening marked yet another ceremony on Shepard's behalf, here on the Citadel.

Two statues were set to be unveiled. Melara had seen the design schematics for both though had not yet laid eyes on the finished products. The first was to honor her father's status as the first human Spectre and savior of the Citadel. It portrayed Shepard in full hard-suit, looking all noble and dashing, of course. On her left shoulder, the symbol of the Spectres replaced the Alliance insignia. The base at her feet held a small plaque that described (in brief) her achievements, topped by four words: Devotion, Duty, Honor, Sacrifice.

The second statue was really part of a memorial wall that would stretch on a bridge path over the Presidium lake. The wall held the names of those who had died fighting in Hammer and Sword, and those who had perished on the Citadel when the Reapers had overtaken it. It was meant to be a symbol of the sacrifice all the species had made together in ending the war, and to signify the ongoing galactic unity borne out of Shepard's efforts to join them against a common foe. Along the wall at regular intervals were bronze cast reliefs of each species-krogan, hanar, drell, turian, elcor, volus, etc. For obvious reasons most were not life-sized. They were also generic, representing all of their kind. Only one had a real identity, a recognizable face.

Shepard stood at the right end of the wall, twice the size of the others and again dressed in an Alliance uniform. She looked as she had on the promotional posters the Alliance had put out after her 'death' when the first _Normandy_ had been destroyed- noble, gallant, with a distant, determined look on her face.

The figure that flanked the far left of the wall- also twice the size for balance reasons- was there to represent the asari. Though it, too, was meant to be generic, in looking at the schematics Melara had been unable to help mentally placing her mother's features on the wise, almost wistfully serene face.

The unveilings were tonight. They would be filled with much pomp and circumstance and expansive crowds. Melara just wanted to get it over with so that they could go home…bid their _true_ goodbyes to Del Shepard and mourn in peace, away from all the eyes, flash, and noise.

She had escaped with Daenys to this café to catch a few moments, try and center herself again. Liara was napping under the watchful eye of the others. It seemed to Mel that Liara napped far too often these days, but she could not blame her. At least in dreams Liara could still be in the arms of the one she loved.

That 'Good afternoon, Captain' had ruptured the warm bubble of escape she had been forming, and she scowled a little as she turned to face the volus who had spoken…before she realized who it was.

"Madame Councilor-"

"Evah," the volus corrected kindly, walking over and reaching up to take Melara's hands gently. "To you, child, it is _always_ Evah."

"Evah," Melara replied with a nod. "It is good to see you again, but I imagine you are incredibly busy with all the goings-on?"

It was slightly amusing that Evah insisted on calling Melara 'child'. Melara was, of course, several decades her elder, but Evah was in high middle-age as far as her species considered things, whereas Melara was comparatively only a maiden still. Evah was a good family friend, as her mother Niveh had also been. Her grandfather, Yoh, had fought with Del and Liara both at the battle for the Citadel and on V-Day. Mel only vaguely remembered the old volus, and her father joking with her mother that it was astonishing he'd finally settled down with one of his own kind and not a human or a turian. Apparently, Ashley Williams had at one point broken his heart?

Evah Beiti had followed in her grandfather's footsteps, breaking most volus stereotypes and eventually becoming the volus representative on the Council. Her daughter, Villi, had taken things even further. Not ten years ago, she had become the first volus Spectre. She would stand with their number that night as they honored their fallen comrade at the unveiling of Shepard's statue.

"Yes, I am busy," Evah said. "And I wish I could say that I am here only to offer my condolences to an old friend, but it is not entirely true. I am here on business, as it were. I know that you have declined our invitation before but I urge you to reconsider, Melara. We want you as a Spectre."

"Evah, we have been over this. Is it me that you want, or is it my name?"

"Mel, sit with me a moment," Evah replied with a sigh, directing the asari over to a table. As they sat, she folded her hands in front of her. "I know that you are afraid that you are being offered this because of your father, may the Light ever hold her. It isn't true. You had top marks coming through the Junior Academy. You are the first asari ever to officially join the Alliance, to attain the rank of N7, and to command a ship as captain."

"I know, Evah, but I would never have gotten into the Academy, _or_ the Alliance, if it weren't for my parents-"

"No, Mel. It's true, Del Shepard's name and contacts may have gotten you into the _Academy_, but everything from then on out was all you. You are the one that earned those marks, not your father. You are the one that endured grueling training, not your father. If anything, having Shepard's name made things _harder_ on you, not easier. They expected more out of you, and you not only gave it to them, you exceeded their expectations. Your father was not on Fersi 4. Your father did not clear the pirate and slaver colonies along Balkensi's Front. You have earned every accolade and every stripe that has been given you, Melara. All things being equal, if you had any other name, any other parents, we would _still_ be offering you a position as Spectre."

Daenys, who had been lingering nearby and politely remaining silent, reached out and put her hand on Mel's shoulder.

"It's true," she said. "You got yourself to where you are, Melara. At least think about Evah's offer?"

"I understand there is a lot going on right now," Evah said, not lacking compassion. "For as much noise and show as the rest of the galaxy makes over losing their hero…you lost your _father_. Take the time that you need, however long that you need. We can be patient. But if you turn it down please…turn it down because it is not what you want for yourself, and not because you are afraid it is poorly offered."

Mel inclined her head a little. "I will consider what you've said, Evah. Thank you."

"You are welcome, child. Now, I do have much to attend too. I will leave you for now. My heart is with you, Melara. Please, extend my deepest sympathies to your lovely mother."

"I will, thank you."

After Evah had gone, Mel and Dae left the café and headed down to the Presidium proper. Mel had the same dark, brooding expression on her face that Shepard used to wear when she found a thought particularly troublesome. Knowing there was nothing she could say to help ease her love's burden, Daenys only held her hand.

"I am sorry I'm such a mess lately, Dae," Melara suddenly said as they stopped by the lakeshore. The crowds were already growing thick, the Citadel hosting throngs of well-wishers and mourners from around the galaxy.

"If anyone has the right to be a mess, it is you right now, Melara," Daenys told her. "And you are not so much a mess as you think."

"I just…I miss her. She was always indestructible, you know? I just…." She sighed and shook her head. "And seeing Mother fading like she is…"

"Your mother is strong, Mel. Yes, she is suffering right now, and it will take its toll, but she is incredibly strong. She will go on, and in time she will learn how to love again. She knows that Shepard would not want her to let this destroy her, and for that alone, she will not let it."

Melara looked out over the lake, and Dae put her arm around her waist, leaning on her. "She was smiling and laughing a little last night," she reminded her love. "It was faint, and brief, but it was _there_."

"Yes, it was," Mel admitted, then looked at Dae with affection. "Thank you."

"Hey, par for the course when you are endlessly terrific and unbelievably amazing."

"Oh, is that so?" Mel smirked a little, before she leaned in and briefly kissed the other asari. Dae smiled, holding her close.

"Right on the Presidium," she tsked. "Scandalous, Captain. What _will_ people think?"

"They'll think, 'how did someone as gorgeous and dashing as Captain Melara Shepard end up with such a dusty old-'"

The friendly barb died on her tongue as she happened to glance over Dae's shoulder, spotting a face through the shifting crowds. Instantly she stiffened, her hand dropping to the side arm at her waist as she stepped around Daenys, her strides firm and determined.

"Mel? What is it?" Dae followed her, confused.

Reaching the edge of a shop, Melara didn't hesitate, not even to wonder why Athena simply stood and waited for her. With an angry growl, Mel's hand wound in Athena's tunic and she hauled the other asari into the space between the two shops, out of direct sight, before slamming her against a wall.

"What do you want?" she growled furiously.

"Hello again to you too, Mel," Athena said gently. "Please loosen up, I would like to breathe."

She didn't have to ask. Athena could take Melara apart with barely a flick of her biotics, and Mel knew it. Stiffly, she released her grip but didn't step back.

"_What do you want_?" she demanded again. Dae, solemn and silent and watching them warily, lingered only a few feet away.

"I am here for the same reasons as everyone else. To pay my respects-"

"_Respects_? It was against my better judgment that I allowed Irie to bring you to Virmire, and what you did very likely caused my father's death-"

"Mel, you know better than that," Athena said. "The chances of your father surviving the night were incredibly slim as it was. You _knew_ that. That's why you and Irie were even there in the first place. I had no want or desire to hurt her or to shorten her hours, believe me, but it was her choice, and she _accepted_ it. Because she did, she may have saved even more lives in her last few hours than she did in her entire life prior!"

"You have proof of this? You found the proof you were looking for?"

"No, of course not. I have nothing concrete, I told you, and it will take me years to decode the nanite sample-"

"So you have nothing but your goddamn gut feeling to tell me that you didn't cut her hours short needlessly."

Athena let out a sound of frustration, then wiped a hand over her face, steeling herself before speaking again. "Mel, I am sorry. I have said it a thousand times and I will say it a thousand more. I am _sorry_. But hating me is not going to bring her back, and it is not going to change what I know in my heart to be true."

Mel scoffed and Athena grabbed her arm. "Look, you remember Orthrus? Your parents' friend Wilcher…that whole madness with the Red Queen?"

Mel stared at her. "I remember."

"Those creatures- the Queen and her kind-…your mother believed them contemporaries of the Reapers, that they were possibly the very hands that built this Citadel-"

"They were monsters, _beasts_. Mindless and raving-"

"Yes, _they_ were…because they had been trapped for billions of years, Mel! There are signs and clues out there…they are tenuous as spider thread and incredibly rare but they _are there_. I am not paranoid or insane, no more than Shepard was when she tried to warn people about the Reapers-"

"Do _not_ compare yourself to her! You are _nothing_ like her!"

Athena's anger seemed to melt into hurt for a moment, before it solidified. "Fine. _Fine_, Mel. You do what you need to do, all right? I did not come here to fight and I did not come to convince you. I only came to pay my respects."

"You were _nothing_ to her, Athena."

"Perhaps not, but she was something to _me_. Like it or not, Mel, she is the reason I have life…the reason _any_ of us do. It is my galaxy too, and she is still the one that saved it so that I had the chance to be here. I will mourn her and her sacrifice whether or not _you_ approve."

Mel glared at her, but when Athena made a motion to leave, she stepped back and did not stop her. Moments later, after the Shadow Broker had melted back into the crowd, Dae gently put a hand on her arm. Melara forced her clenched fists to relax, and closed her eyes.

* * *

Liara sat on the edge of the bed, the heavy, headachy weight of her unrefreshing nap resting stubbornly behind her eyes. Outside the room, she could hear the low murmurs of her family but for the moment she was alone.

Alone.

She had not felt alone in such a long time, not like this. When Del had gone, she had taken half of Liara's heart and soul with her, and left only a hollow ache in their place.

"There is no feeling quite like it, is there?" A soft voice asked from the corner of the room, near the closed balcony that overlooked the Presidium lake. Liara said nothing, and the owner of the voice straightened and looked outward onto the sunshine and green. "That loss. That absence. That horrible pain of being ripped in half, a vital part of you stolen away forever."

"You felt it far too young," Liara said softly. "It was a cruelty you should not have had to bear."

"No. But you are young, too, Liara. And I am so sorry for what you are feeling now."

Liara got to her feet and walked over to the door, looking outward as well. Despite her frequent naps, she looked worn and weary, as if she hadn't slept in days. "I was not expecting you here."

"You are still my sister, Liara."

"Yes," Liara whispered gently, then looked over at Eír. She did not ask how the other asari had gotten in. It didn't matter. Reaching over, Eír took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

They both looked out at the Presidium for a while in silence, before Liara spoke again. "Your daughter paid us a visit on Virmire."

"Yes, I know. I did not know she was planning to do so until she had already been and gone."

"She seems to think there is some greater danger out there than we realize, some threat. I do not want to believe her. It has been more than two hundred years since the Reapers were destroyed. Surely if a threat remained it would have appeared by now."

"You do not _want_ to believe her…but you _do_, don't you?"

"Yes," Liara said sadly. "At least, I believe that _she_ believes."

"Athena is smarter than I," Eír replied. "I know she has made her mistakes…that was my fault. I…was not the best mother. I did not even understand who I was, so I could not help her to know who _she_ was."

"You regret her birth?"

"I regret the timing and the manner of it," Eír admitted. "I love my daughter, Liara. I always wanted to have children, but having her when I did…it was foolish. I was still lost, so angry and confused and desperate to find my purpose. I thought a daughter would give me that purpose. It was selfish and short-sighted of me."

Liara looked at her sister. They did not talk often, and she had never asked her exactly how Athena had come to be. She didn't know who her niece's father was. As the Broker she could have found that information eventually, but she had not tried to look.

"This pain that I feel," she said slowly. "I know that you felt it when you lost Shrive. I…I pray that you have not felt it again."

Eír smiled faintly. "Is that your tactful way of asking about Athena's father?" she asked lightly, then shook her head. "The questions that must have gone through your head. Did she find a new love? Was it just a one-time thing? Are they alive, are they not, are there more daughters than Athena…?"

"_Are_ there?" Liara asked, lifting her brows.

"No. No, Athena is the only child I have and the only one I will. I cannot do to another daughter what I did to her-"

"You were young, Eír-"

"I may have matured and overcome the tragedies of my past, Li, but I can never overcome _what_ I am…what my children will always be. Athena is not an asari, however she appears. She never will be. What happened with Melara proves that. She faces rejection, isolation, loneliness, because of the abomination of genes that she got from _me_, that _I_ got from Gellian. I cannot pass this curse on to another, Liara."

Liara looked at her sadly, and Eír sighed, looking downward a moment. "It may surprise you to know that her father is another asari. Athena does not look pureblood, I know-though I suppose technically she isn't- but that is thanks to me and not her father. It may also surprise you to know that I did love her father…and that I still do. She is alive, but our situation is…_complicated_."

Liara felt relief, a hope for her sister. "I am glad that you love her, and that she lives. Does she love you as you do her?"

"Oh yes, without a doubt," Eír said softly.

"Then you do not need to fear this…'curse', as you call it," Liara said. "You can have more daughters, Eír. If your love bears them instead-"

"No. It doesn't work." Eír looked at her. "We tried. For some reason she is unable to map my DNA properly or…something. She has had three miscarriages. They do not last past the first few months and they are…deformed. Her body rejects them. After the third it was more than clear none would ever succeed. We stopped trying."

"Oh, Eír. I am so sorry…"

"This galaxy is an unfair place, Liara. You know that as well as anyone. It is hard, and cold, and incredibly unfair. But there is good in it, and light, and love, and hope. Your Del saw that. That is why she saved it. That is why Athena is trying to keep it saved, because she knows this as well."

Liara nodded, her eyes gloss though no tears fell. She had cried so much in the last few days, she wondered that she had any tears left within her at all. "I hope she is with you for the rest of your life, Eír- your love. I hope you never have to lose her, as you lost Shrive."

"That is my prayer, every day." Leaning over she kissed Liara's cheek gently. "You will never stop loving her, Liara. You will never stop missing her. Not a day goes by when I don't think of my beautiful Shrive and the love that we had. But I can promise you that it will get easier. I pray that someday you are able to find someone that makes that pain a little less, and reminds you of the joy and happiness that is still possible in this life."

Liara nodded, appreciating the sentiment even while her heart whispered that it was a lie. Her promise to Del rang through her mind, and she felt almost staggered under the weight of it. How could she find someone else? How could she ever love someone else? How could she be held by anyone and feel even a tenth of what she had felt with Shepard?

Eír left a short while later, and Liara stood in the afternoon shafts of sunlight, watching the distant tiny crowds and the vibrant colors as she tried to remind herself how to feel again.


	28. Chapter 28

_I'm so tired of being here_

_Suppressed by all my childish fears_

_And if you have to leave_

_I wish that you would just leave_

_Your presence still lingers here_

_And it won't leave me alone…_

_**My Immortal**__- Evanescence_

* * *

**Past: 15 Years Post War**

"I don't know how they got ahead of us," Ash said as they stood in the _Normandy's_ conference room. Shepard and Li had taken off their hard-suits but they were still flushed and dirty, clothes sticking to them with sweat. "We saw no one go in after you, and we shadowed down twenty minutes later. Singleton picked up their communications suddenly, just before that first quake. When the whole tunnels started coming down we had to beat feet. No choice after that but to come back to the ship and have the rachni start digging."

Shepard shook her head. "Wasn't your fault. We knew going in the area was seismically unstable. It's a fucking miracle we didn't lose everyone. The only upside is, I'm pretty sure we don't have to worry about Orthrus anymore."

"Some agents may remain," Liara said. "The organization itself may survive, but without the Red Queen's control, I do not think we need to fear them any more than Eclipse or the Blue Suns. Without her, they are just more hired thugs."

"You saw this 'Red Queen?'" Tali asked. "What was it?"

"An alien of a species that likely went extinct in the very first Cycles, billions of years ago," Liara replied. "She was both organic and cybernetic, and was being held in some sort of mimetic polymer generated by a bank of technology contemporary with the relays and the Anadius cinch device. What we learned was disjointed, and it is impossible to confirm what may be truth and what may be madness, but it seems that she and her…_crew_, I suppose- were in pursuit of members of another species they called the Iovino."

"Iovino?" Tali blinked in surprise.

Del looked up. "Yeah. Apparently the Red Queen was able to both take images out of people's minds and insert her own. Some…telepathy, or some technology far beyond anything we have. She stole memories, broken images, from the minds of the Cerberus men who first hid in that crack, then from Wilcher and his people when they followed. That's how she found out about Liara being the Shadow Broker, about Hock, and where she picked up on the name Iovino. Not to mention that crazy _Alice in Wonderland_ bullshit."

"In her insanity and with no real point of reference she was likely unable to understand a lot of what she intuited," Liara said. "She believed the Iovino she was picking up from their memories was in fact a member of this faction or species that had imprisoned her to begin with. She directed them to bring this Iovino to her- unharmed, so they could open the trap and release her- and they of course went after the only Iovino they knew. "

"Shepard," Ashley said with a nod. "So, the original Iovino were a species? Like humans or salarians?"

"It seems likely, though it is impossible to know for sure. We had no time for study or extensive questioning. There was a badly degraded ship in the final chamber but we do not know if it was the Red Queen and her group that had originally piloted it, if it belonged to the Iovino, or if it was there purely by happenstance."

"So we didn't get anything out of this, other than more questions?" Tali asked.

"Not really," Del said with a sigh. "That volcano basically erased what was probably not only the last of an entire species, but possibly any answers to who actually created the Reapers and to what purpose."

Tali folded her arms, brooding a moment before she shrugged. "Maybe they are just insane," she said. "Maybe they were performing the Cycles for so long even _they _forgot why they were doing it. They did spend a great deal of time in dark space...over the millennia, maybe they went loopy."

Liara tapped her lip thoughtfully. "From our understanding, the Reapers remained dormant in dark space until they were signaled to renew the Cycle process. They would be relatively unaware of the passage of time. Still, with so many Cycles perpetuated…"

"We can theorize until the cows come home," Shepard said. "Truth of the matter is we don't know, and the hard reality is we most likely never _will_ know. For now, the Reapers are dead, the Red Queen and her jabberwocks are gone, and we put one more threat down for good. Not too shabby in my book."

Liara looked at her. "We are not entirely empty handed. I did scan the idol and some of the cavern walls. Of course, the data will take centuries to analyze and we still may not be able to make sense of it. We still do not understand precisely how the relays work, or the Citadel, and they have been under study for longer than anyone in this room has been alive."

Del gave her a faint, lopsided grin. "If anyone has a chance of getting anything from those scans- well, I'd bet on you every time. Right now we need to get Tali back home to her family, and then I'd like to get back to mine."

"As soon as we get Riot and her remaining drones back over to her ship, we'll put in a course for Rannoch," Ashley said. "You two look in desperate need of a shower. You're more than welcome to the one in the Nest if you'd like, and I'll make sure there's some hot grub waiting when you're done."

"Thanks Ash," Shepard said, then looked at the quarian. "Tali, we'll meet you back down in the mess. We can eat, and catch up, dong ma?"

"Absolutely, Jie Jie. I wouldn't miss it for anything."

* * *

In the short decade and a half since the end of the war, Rannoch had undergone an incredible amount of change. Though the quarians and geth who now shared the planet's surface were not faced with a world devastated by Reaper attack, in many ways their challenges were just as great as those facing the turians, humans, and asari. Rannoch had not been invaded by the Reapers, however the quarians had to rebuild their nomadic, shipboard society into one that once again dwelt on dirt and rock. More, they had to do it in cooperation with a species that- for far too long- had been their deadly enemy.

Those quarians who had lived together aboard a given ship tended to cluster a bit at first, a dozen small settlements cropping up that were made of respective crews. Soon, they began to spread out, getting used to the room and the realization that they were not simply crew of this ship or that any more.

Not that they didn't still have and maintain their ships and engineering expertise, but the forgotten possibilities they had once had were now open before them again. There was an entire generation of quarian children now who had never known what it was like living solely amongst the stars. Some had never even set foot on a ship. The environmental suits once so crucial to survival now only had to be donned when travelling to other worlds, and with advancing medicine and help from the geth, soon even that would not be necessary.

The future children of this new generation might very well never step into a suit. At times it boggled Del's mind…and she could only imagine the effect it was having on Tali.

The moment the _Normandy_ shuttle landed and its doors opened, Tali was hauling her helmet off, rushing out into the warm sunshine. Two figures were waiting anxiously, the smaller quickly breaking off from the taller and darting over the grass.

"Mama!"

"Deefa!"

Tali scooped her small daughter up in her arms, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheeks. Though she had been repeatedly reassured no harm had come to her family, for a mother there was never real relief until they could hold their children and see the truth for themselves.

Del and Liara had disembarked the shuttle at a somewhat slower pace, watching the reunion and staying back a bit to give the small family their privacy.

Micah, Tali's husband, hugged his wife tightly after Tali lifted her daughter and rose to her feet, the three quarians clinging to each other in silence for a long while. It was Deefa who noticed Liara and Del over Tali's shoulder, the three year old breaking into a wide grin and reaching out one hand.

"Auntie Li!"

Loosening her hold on Micah, Tali let Deefa down, the little quarian rushing over to Liara with a fit of giggles, happily being swooped into the air as Liara caught her up.

"One of these days, she's going to grow up and steal you away from me," Del said to her wife with a teasing grin, before she held her hand out to the approaching pair. "Baron, good to see you again."

Micah took her hand, hauling her in without warning and hugging her tightly. "Thank you," he said. "I cannot thank you enough for bringing her back safely."

"Tali's family," Shepard replied simply, giving him a gentle slap on the back before loosening her hold. "And so are you and Deefa."

"I wanna see Mel and Irie," Deefa said, clinging to Liara and looking toward the shuttle.

"Oh, sweetie, they were not able to come visit this time," Liara said gently.

"We'll have to come back and visit, next time Mel gets a break from school," Del said. "I know they'd love to see you guys."

Micah grinned. "Indeed, the adventures of Baron von Starblaster and his loyal corsairs must continue."

Melara and Irie had dubbed Micah 'Baron von Starblaster' years ago, when Mel was barely out of diapers. It had been more than amusing, watching the two young asari follow him about, fighting invisible mercs and saving invisible hostages from the evil forces of Heart Eater the Reaper King. From that moment on, Micah had been crowned with the name 'Uncle Baron' and the title of 'Coolest Uncle Ever' (though Mel now secretly considered Micah and Grunt in challenge of that title). The name had instantly stuck, and even Del and Liara referred to him as Baron more often than not.

Though, much as she liked Micah, there had been a time when Shepard had fully expected Garrus to be the one to end up with Tali. During the war a closeness had developed between the two, swiftly blossoming into a romance. In the end, it was life _after_ the war that cooled the embers. Garrus was devoted to helping his people on Palaven to recover, and Tali had the same devotion and responsibility to Rannoch and _her_ people. They had tried the long-distance thing for a while but it quickly became apparent they were fooling themselves. They had parted on amicable terms and remained very good friends.

At times, Del suspected there were wistful 'what might have been's from both sides, but each had found love elsewhere, and there seemed no lingering regret.

She and Liara stayed for an hour but both remained eager to get home themselves and back to their daughters. Tali walked them back to the shuttle, and Del gave her a final hug. As she watched them lift off into the sky, the quarian sighed.

Being on the _Normandy_ again, she had almost started to miss the war. _Well, no, not the __**war**__, but being with them, the crew….playing poker, hearing the pulse of the engine as they go into FTL, never knowing what the next day would bring…_

"You two stay safe," she said softly as the shuttle was swallowed by the brilliant azure. "Come back and visit soon."

* * *

**Present: 217 Years Post War**

The house looked small and alone, dwindled somehow on the hillside and as forlorn as if it had been abandoned for years.

To Liara, it almost felt as if she had been gone years, and not just a few days. The preparations, the ceremonies, the speeches- Earth, the Citadel, the _Normandy_- all of it blended together in her mind until it was a smear of random events with no real cohesion.

Through it all, she had longed to go home, to escape the crowds and faces and well-wishers, but now that she was back, she found she had no desire to go inside.

Instead she walked over to the tree on the hillside, leaning against its well-worn bark as her unfocused eyes took in the golden light on the shifting sea. Irie, concerned, started her way before Melara lightly caught her arm and shook her head.

The real funeral, Shepard's Sending, would be the following day. Only those that Del had considered family would be in attendance. The krogan had followed them to Virmire, as had Samara, parting ways with the rest of the Justicars.

There would be twelve quarians…Tali's grand and great-grandchildren. Two of Ashley's grandsons would be there. Nora Koromovalu, Liara's other niece from her father's side, would be arriving that evening. Once upon a time, Del had saved little Nora's life from a plague the Collector's had sown on Omega.

Compared to the other services, this one would be small, quiet, and simple. It would be a true Sending in the asari tradition, and tradition would take its toll on Liara that night. A few minutes alone right now were not too much to ask.

Most of the guests would be staying in Beaty, a few hours away. Only Irie and her family, Mel, and Dae would be staying here in the house. Liara waited until she heard the last of them go inside, though she did not hear the door close. While Melara was willing to give her space, she was not willing to have her mother completely out of her sight, either.

Liara only stood and watched the sea, leaning on the old tree with one hand gripping tight to the dog tags around her neck, the other looped around the trunk as if it were an old friend helping her home from a long night of drinking.

She stood until it started to grow dark. Melara was about to go out to her when she finally straightened and walked across the grass, back to the house.

Irie and Dae had made preparations in the bedroom. Del's body had been stored in a cryo-casket in a secure vault in Beaty since her passing. It had been returned here just this morning. Dae had arrived early to take possession of it before Liara and the others had returned.

With Irie's help, they had opened the casket and lifted Shepard from it with their biotics. A red sheet had been lain over the bed and they gently lowered her to rest on it. Though she had been cleaned and dressed prior, Irie set about brushing her hair, checking her nails, and attending to a thousand tiny details to make sure she looked perfect.

Looking down at her father when she'd finished, Irie could almost fool herself into believing Del was just asleep…if not for the paleness of her face, and the faint blue to her eyelids and lips. No cosmetics would be used, though it was common with human funerals. Del had abhorred them in life and they would not paint her up in them in death.

As her bondmate, Liara would sit with her the night, keeping vigil. Irie thought of the hours and days and weeks that her mother had sat with her after the war, praying and hoping and wishing for Del to wake from her coma, and felt her eyes heat.

_No one should have to keep the same vigil twice_, she thought, then turned as Mel came in with Liara at her side.

Irie hugged her mother tightly but wordlessly, brushing a hand over her cheek before she reluctantly stepped out. No one would enter or leave the room for the entirety of the night. This vigil was sat only by the bondmate, and Liara would not emerge until dawn.

Dae, who had prepared some food as well as the traditional tea, set the tray on a small table nearby and also hugged Liara tightly, kissing her cheek before withdrawing. Mel followed suit, searching her mother's eyes with concern before kissing her forehead and stepping away.

The door was closed, and Liara was left alone.

Ignoring the tray, she went to the chair that had been set out beside the bed, and lowered herself into it. Her sky blue eyes remained fixed on Del's still face, but for the moment they were dry. Reaching out, she lightly traced her fingers over Shepard's forehead, cheek, the curve of her jaw. They outlined the scars, brushed over cold lips, then retreated. Liara tucked her hands into her lap, lowering her head a bit as if she expected to be admonished, like a child that had touched something fragile that had been forbidden.

Out in the house, she could hear the muffled voices of the others, young Lily's happy laughter. Her eyes almost filled with shame.

"Listen," she said softly. "Do you hear, Shepard? Melara, Irie, little Lily…h-how…how _selfish_ am I?"

She had been so extremely fortunate. For so long, all of this had seemed such an impossible dream. A long life of peace with the one she loved, a house filled with the sounds of their children. How often she had hoped, begged, pleaded to be given this, to have a life with Del, away from war and uncertainty? How often had she begged in her heart for Shepard to pass peacefully with a family that loved her, instead of being torn apart in battle, shot or snuffed out with the endless violence that seemed to haunt her like a shadow?

"I have been given it. Everything I prayed for, I have been given it. How selfish and ungrateful am I that all I can think now is it was not enough…it was _not enough_, Shepard. It went too fast…and now I am alone, without you and…"

She broke off, closing her eyes and covering her face. _Do you even hear me?_ she thought, and her mind returned to that last night, the last time that she had held her.

She could have sworn a hand had brushed her cheek, that Del had whispered in her ear. When she'd woken a bit more and found Shepard still wound in her arms, she had dismissed it as a dream. Now every part of her desperately clung to it.

The pragmatic, realistic, scientific part of her insisted that was all it had been- a dream. Once the electrical and chemical reactions in the brain ceased, that was it. The end of life, snuffing out as swiftly and with as much finality as a candle flame being doused.

Yet, ever since she was a child, sitting in the Temple of Athame, Liara had felt deep inside that there was something _more_. Something beyond the limited veil of the physical. Souls touched during a Joining, didn't they? Shepard herself had confided in her that she had heard Liara's voice in the black of space over Alchera, when she'd been cast out of the first _Normandy_ when it was destroyed. Was that mere wishful thinking, the frantic response of a brain failing from oxygen depravation?

No, there had to be something _more_, something _else_. The idea of Del simply vanishing into nothingness made her feel physical ill. The drive, the compassion, the gentle will and fierce determination-her lopsided smile, her laugh, the frantic love hidden deep beneath those dark brown eyes-that couldn't all just _disappear_!

She had to have hope. She _had_ to hold tight to that belief- that Del was still out there, that she went on. Liara had to cling to that, to the idea that someday- even if that day was six or seven hundred years away-…_someday_ they would be together again. Someday she would feel those arms wind around her and hold her close, she would hear that voice whisper in her ear, call her Tianlán one more time.

Hope was the only thing that had gotten her through Shepard's first death. She'd had hope that Miranda would bring her back…and she had. She'd had hope that Shepard would take on the Collectors and return to her…and she had.

Hope had gotten her through the war. Hope had kept her looking for those first three weeks, when they had not known if Del was alive or dead or where she might be. Hope had been what she'd clung to day after day after she'd been found, until Del had finally woken from her coma and smiled at her.

Now, she just had to hope again.

Wiping her eyes she reached out again, softly stroking Del's hair. "You rest now, Shepard," she whispered. "It is ok to rest now. Sleep well, and I will see you with the dawn."


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Please read the author's note at the end of this chapter. Thank you!

* * *

**Present: 217 years Post War**

When Liara emerged from the bedroom again that dawn, she held a wooden box in her hands.

It was a simple enough box, jointed at the edges and lid so that it would seal tight when closed. The wood had been treated so that it would not rot or degrade…at least, not for years longer than it normally would have taken. During the night, Liara had put various items into the box…things that, to her, were fundamentally _Shepard_.

Her swagman was the largest item inside. Beside that rested her beaten flask, filled with whiskey. Her silver cigar case, full of cigars, was within- as was a couple of guitar picks. Liara had also included a few pictures, paper copies of Mel and Irie as infants; a few of their second wedding here on the beach; a couple of old ones that Nancy had left them of Shepard and Paul; and that final photo they had taken on the first _Normandy_, moments before the attack had struck.

Liara lingered over that one the longest, tracing their younger faces, memorizing the happy look in their eyes. Finally, she quietly tucked it inside as well.

A few more odds and ends were added, mostly trinkets that Shepard had been given over the years from her friends. Liara added them quickly and then sealed the box shut. The click of the lid as it slid into place almost felt like an execution.

Now, she clung to the wooden box in her hands as if it were the only thing keeping her afloat. The house was already filled with hushed voices, guests having arrived since well before dawn. She sat in the living room, talking with them softly and accepting their sympathies with gentle nods of her head. Some, whom had been unable to attend the more formal ceremonies, she hugged tightly.

The day was warm and brilliant when they finally headed outside. A breeze was blowing, making the flocks of birds clinging to their nests on the cliff ripple almost like waves, the music of their calls and flapping wings almost drowning out the crash of the ocean itself.

The small crowd walked out along the eastern promontory, a long spit of land that flanked one side of their private beach. A few rocks and boulders were strewn among the short sea grass, and at the far end of the spit there was a short four or five foot drop off into the water.

Melara had come out here sometime during the night, with a halogen lamp and a shovel. Near one of the leaning rocks she had dug a deep pit, deep as she could go without threat of water flooding it, and in the morning sun the soil looked red and strikingly rich.

The quiet crowd clustered at the edge of the promontory, watching as Solus, Grunt, and his two boys carried Shepard's body down to the sand and surf. She was not covered, lying on a multi-tiered litter of wood, straw, and flammable sealant. Buried deep in the bottom most layer was a small device that would ignite when a remote command was sent. The sealant would both ensure the litter stayed afloat, and that it burned quite fast and hot once the fire began. Shepard's hands were folded over her chest.

The krogan had wanted to put a rifle in her hands. Their people also generally burned their dead, and usually did so with the warrior in full armor and holding their favorite weapon. Grunt had wanted to put a rifle in Shepard's hands, but Liara had gently refused the request. Shepard had been a soldier and a warrior all her life. Her days had been filled with struggle, battle, and bloodshed.

No more. Del had more than earned her final peace. She had held far too many rifles and for far too long. Liara would not send her into eternity with yet another one.

So her hands were empty, folded neatly. As the krogan stepped into the water, the sunlight gleamed up from these folded hands, reflecting off of Shepard's wedding ring. Liara's fingers sought out her own ring, gripping it tight and feeling the warm metal. Someday, perhaps, she would finally remove it. For now, it was one of the final ties she could not bear severing…not just yet.

Grunt, Shep, Dug, and Solus waded out until the water was well above their waists, almost up to the necks of the two smaller boys.

Solus activated a small VI driven engine at the bottom edge of the litter, and the four krogan released it as the engine kicked on and tugged the structure out of their hands. They retreated from the surf as the litter gamely continued on, moving out toward deeper water.

By the time the krogan joined them where they stood, Shepard's body was a hundred yards out, tiny against the endless blue.

"From the seas we come," Samara said solemnly. "And to the seas we must all return. May the depths embrace you, Del Shepard- my sister, and my friend. We send you from us to the unknowable beyond in honor, and in love. N'ivathe'a ma siveen."

"Keelah sel'ai," Tali's grandson, Coron'Nato, said in a soft murmur, prompting an echo of the same from the others.

Liara was not aware of the silent tears on her cheeks, and hardly aware of speaking aloud as she watched the now tiny litter suddenly lift into bright flame, reds and golds blooming fiercely over the tourmaline sea.

"N'ivathe'a ma siveen," she whispered.

At her side, Irie began to sing a lament, holding her daughter close with little Lily's head resting on her shoulder. It was not Cantola's grand, heroic lament that she and the other asari had sung at the ceremony on Earth. This one was simple, and small…merely a daughter's grief for a beloved parent's passing.

Liara thought that Del would have liked this one better than the other one. To her, it would have seemed far more honest.

It took less than an hour for the litter to be consumed and finally slip below the water. Scores of the colorful seabirds, curiously drawn by the smoke, wheeled and cried overhead for a few long minutes after it had finally vanished, before they returned to the cliffs.

After it had vanished, Liara carried the box to the hole that her daughter had excavated. Going down to her knees, she carefully lowered the box into the hole, settling it and pressing her hand to the lid once more. Irie, kneeling at her side, passed a blue rose she had been carrying to her daughter. Lily looked at it with a toddler's interest.

"Give it to Grandma, baby," Irie urged gently. Lily sat up a little, looking at Liara, before leaning forward and holding out the rose.

"Ba?"

Liara smiled softly, gently accepting it and then leaning forward, kissing the baby's forehead. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Na," Lily smiled, then settled against her mother's shoulder again with a yawn.

Liara kissed the bloom's petals, then set the rose on top of the box. She remained kneeling as Melara refilled the hole, the box and flower vanishing under the dirt. Tossing the shovel aside, Mel took her mother's arm as Liara finally got to her feet, steadying her.

There would be food, and tea, and conversation now. Eventually, the guests would bid their goodbyes and head off to different areas of the galaxy- reuniting with loved ones and going on with their lives. Even Melara and Irie would depart after a few days. Irie had her family and her singing. Melara had to get back to the _Normandy_ and her never-ending duties.

The sun would set, then rise again, then set once more. Life would go on, and somehow Liara had to find a way to face it.

As they walked back toward the house, Irie passed the baby off to Evik, and put her arm around her mother's waist. "Come back with us, to Thessia," she said. "Just for a while. I don't want you to be here all by yourself. You could spend time with Lily, take it easy…figure out what you want to do next."

"Oh, Irie, that is so incredibly sweet of you to offer, but-"

"Mama, please. You should not be alone, not here. This place is just going to remind you of her every moment, every time you look around. You can come back here when you are ready but you need time to grieve, to heal. You cannot heal here, not where every trinket or picture or sunset will just rip the wound open all over again."

Liara knew that Irie was speaking wisdom. Being here by herself would be incredibly difficult, feeling and seeing and smelling Shepard in every corner and every room. At the same time, those very things were the reasons she _wanted_ to stay.

"I shall think about it, Irie," she said. "Thank you."

That night as she curled up to go to sleep, she knew that going to stay with Irie and Evik for a while would probably be for the best. She realized this as she carefully set up a sleeping area in her own room on a cluster of cushions and blankets, the thought of sleeping in that bed again enough to bring a horrible ache to her gut.

Shepard had shared that bed with her for years. She had passed away there, and her body had rested there the previous night for the vigil. Getting into it again…no. She was unsure she could _ever_ get into it again. A new one would have to be purchased.

_And what of things other than the bed? Are you going to purchase a new sofa, because of the memories of sitting there and talking with her on cold, quiet nights? Are you going to purchase a new study? A new kitchen? Is everything that reminds you of her with pain going to be replaced until this is no longer the same house? Might as well just tear it down then and be done with, if you are going to just erase her bit by bit because you cannot bear the pain of remembering._

Irie was correct. She would tear herself apart if she remained here alone right now. She needed to be with others. She needed to immerse herself in her granddaughter, to hear her laugh and watch her play and remind herself that innocence and joy still existed, that part of Del would always go on.

She curled up on the cushions and among the blankets. Held close to her chest was the small wooden box inlaid with the maw's tooth. It smelled of Del's cigars, and while she knew that soon, she would have to learn to sleep without it…it would not be happening this night. Even with it, she was unsure if she would be able to fall asleep.

In the end, the emotional and physical exhaustion proved too much, and shortly after settling down she fell into those heavy, dark spaces only the world-weary and grieving ever seemed to find. In this deep black, where memory and even identity could not intrude, she found a comfortable sort of peace- curling up within it and reluctant to move, to wake, to remember.

Then a dream began, its colorful arms winding around her, coaxing, tempting, and then almost forcefully drawing her out of that oblivious bed.

Light was the first thing she was aware of. Warm and soft, the light seemed to make her skin tingle. Ground was under her feet, a soft cool breeze smelling of the sea tugging playfully at the hem of her skirt.

She was standing at the edge of a wide field. The air was crisp and clear, the colors beyond reality. The grass was an incredible green beyond green, the sky a blue that made every other blue she'd ever seen seem gray.

In the distance, two, or perhaps three hundred yards away, a gathering of people were waiting. Despite the distance she could see every detail about them, as if they stood no further than a foot or two. Behind this gathering was a ship...no, it was the _Normandy_, its engines idling and hull shining as if it were new.

Liara felt joy as she recognized those standing there, in front of the ship. There was Tali, wearing no helmet or suit but instead a pale gray dress that shimmered like pearls as it stirred in the breeze. Beside her stood Baron, his hand holding hers. Deefa was there beside her parents, almost her mother's twin.

Joker was there, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his ball cap tugged low over his eyes. Beside him was Kaidan, laughing and talking with animation to Mordin. The salarian looked young, happy, his eyes bright.

And more familiar faces. Helen Chakwas. Samantha Traynor. Wilcher, with Ori beside him. Admiral Anderson, Kahlee Saunders, Steven Hackett, James Vega. Wrex looked impatient, Garrus amused. Jacob was there, and Kasumi, and Thane with Kolyat and an attractive female drell who could only be Irikah. Miranda, young and dark-haired again, with her sister Oriana. Yoh lurked near where Ashley held David's hand, his own entwined in the hand of his wife, Nia. Sydney was there, chatting with Jack. David Archer, Ken and Gabby, Kelly Chambers, more…so many more, some whose faces were unfamiliar or obscured.

Then she saw Benezia, looking how she had when Liara was a child- elegant, bright, happy, exuding a grace and a poise that had always seemed so unbreakable. Near her was Aethyta, a smug smile on her lips but nothing but adoration in her eyes. Nancy Salgado stood with Paul, who held an ice cream cone in his fist, his eyes alight with excitement.

Liara's eyes sought over the crowd, her heart seeming to swell with every familiar, happy, young face that she saw. She was so caught up in them that at first she did not see the final figure, walking across the grass almost exactly between Liara and the gathered crowd.

It was Shepard.

Liara could not see her face but that didn't matter, she knew without a doubt it was Shepard. She broke into a run, rushing over the field toward Del. She called her name but her voice seemed to die in her throat, emitting no sound. Shepard kept on walking, toward those waiting for her.

Away from Liara.

_No, do not go…do not leave me!_ Liara tried again to shout but no words emerged. As fast as she ran, the distance between them did not grow smaller.

Shepard was only a few yards away from the others when she suddenly paused, and finally turned around. Liara slowed from a run into a trot, then into a walk as her limbs seemed to grow heavier, too exhausted to continue moving. She could feel the tears rushing down her face. She was ten feet away now, but she could no longer move. Her body was too tired, and refused to obey her commands.

"Shepard, _please_…" she whispered.

Del was looking at her. She was wearing an N7 hard-suit, a fully stocked weapons-pack on her back. She wore no helmet. She was young again, the way she looked when Liara had first met her. No silver or white marred her ebony hair as it stirred in the light breeze. There were no burns on the left side of her face. No lines at the corners of her eyes, no scar on her neck.

Her dark brown eyes were full of sadness.

Stepping back toward the asari, Del lifted a hand, her fingertips hovering only inches away from Liara's face. She struggled to move again, to surge into those arms, but she could not, no matter how hard or how desperately she tried.

Gently, Shepard's hand rested against her cheek…soft, warm, and alive. Her thumb brushed lightly over the soft powdering of freckles on Liara's blue skin.

She said nothing, only meeting those sky blue eyes with her own for a long moment, before her hand lowered and she stepped back. Though her eyes still seemed sad, the smile she gave Liara was incredible, and she felt an odd sort of calm fill her at the sight of it.

_Trust me_, that smile said. _Everything will be all right_.

Then Del turned away one last time, back to the crowd just fifteen feet away. As she walked toward them, they moved in, smiling and laughing and surrounding her, shaking her hand or slapping her on the back and enveloping her into their number until Liara could no longer see her.

The dream faded away and Liara opened her eyes to the darkened room, the box still tucked under her arm. She stared into the shadows for a long moment, before she finally closed her eyes again, a tear breaking free and spilling down onto the cushions.

"N'ivathe'a ma siveen," she whispered. "Goodbye, my love."

* * *

**The End**

* * *

A/N: Ok, I know it was short. DE4 was only ever meant to be a deep breath, a moment of closure, a bridge between Shepard's tale and what is to come. There was no further I could go without revealing or breaking into plot points intended for DE5 (beyond the few hints I have given) and so, we end here.

DE5 will take place just over three hundred and fifty years from the end of the War (roughly a hundred years after DE4), and after Bladhaire's incomparable story Caduceus. If you haven't yet, I urge you to read her tale. It is intertwined with my own story and presents a 'jumping off point' for DE5 if you will.

DE5 will be the final Dark Energy story…that I have planned. Years down the road I may get the urge to revisit my Dark Energy universe but for now, this will be it. DE5 will explain the origins of the Reapers, the Iovino, the Red Queen and her jabberwocks, the cinches, Citadel, and Crucible, and what looming threat still remains to be faced. Athena will be a prominent part of the story, as will Melara, Daenys, and Irie. Liara will appear in the tale but she will not be a central character. Eir will also appear, as well as Grunt and the krogan. There will be a new species that joins the galactic community, new discoveries and new enemies to fight…as well as some old ones.

That said, DE5 is _not_ going to start immediately. I urge you to set your alerts so that you will be emailed when DE5 does finally go up. For the moment, I'm going to take a small breather and instead post up something I think you will all enjoy.

I'm not usually a huge fan of Alternate Universe fics but someone recently mentioned an idea on my Facebook page that immediately got me thinking. What if Shepard was the shy scientist, and Liara was the gung-ho commando? Instantly my brain started working and I got too excited to not explore this question.

The story is going to be called Dark Energy AU: Best Left Said. Familiar characters will all reappear, including Del Shepard and Liara T'Soni.

What would Del be like if she never grew up in the Room, never lived on the streets or joined the Alliance? What if her parents were loving, supportive, and gave her the best education? What would Liara be like if _she_ had to live the hardened life, picking up a rifle instead of an archaeologists' tools? What would their meeting be like? Would the bond that so defined them in DE still form?

The story will not follow the typical ME storyline, but my own alternate plot. There won't be any Reapers, Collectors, Saren, or heretic geth attack on the Citadel. In this AU, none of those things happened, and instead different threats will appear, and very likely some other characters you know and love will also appear in quite different roles as well!

Look for it to go up on Wednesday, with a far more detailed description. Until then, may the Schwartz be with you all!


End file.
